It started with a flash on a grainy drone video a single pinpoint hit, and a fireball. Within seconds, one of Russia’s newest air defense systems was smoldering wreckage. For Ukraine’s military, it was more than another victory on the battlefield, but a dramatic show of precision, coordination, and innovation are weakening a central keystone of Moscow’s defenses. Ukrainian troops have targeted repeatedly over the last months the Buk family of medium-range surface-to-air missile systems, ranging from the older M1 variants to the most advanced Buk-M3.
The systems, costing tens of millions of dollars, are meant to provide cover for Russian soldiers and equipment from air attacks. Nevertheless, by employing a mix of reconnaissance, first-person-view (FPV) drones, and artillery coordination, Kyiv’s units have been able to destroy or put out of action dozens of them. What this comes down to is a clear image of shifting tactics, adaptation of technology, and the increasingly prominent role of civilian-sourced innovation in contemporary warfare. Seven important conclusions from Ukraine’s offensive against Russia’s valuable Buk systems follow:
1. Coordinated Multi-Unit Strikes
Recent missions have highlighted the importance of cooperation between units. During a June 7 mission, the 74th Reconnaissance Brigade initially spotted a Buk-M3, which was subsequently disabled by the Altair unit of the 14th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Regiment. The coup de grâce was finally delivered by Charlie Company from the same regiment, causing an ammunition explosion. This layered operation guaranteed the destruction of the target without providing it with the opportunity to redeploy or counter-attack.
2. Strategic Targeting of Strategic Elements
Ukraine’s military has discovered that taking out a Buk’s radar is as destructive as targeting the launcher itself. The 9S36M radar, referred to by Defense Express as “the eyes” of the Buk-M3, is capable of detecting low-flying targets at up to 70 km. By attacking these uncommon and expensive radars, Ukrainian forces take out the entire battery. In one such instance, a mini FPV drone of the 14th Separate Unmanned Aircraft Regiment destroyed a 9S36M mid-scan, making launchers within range useless.
3. Civilian Crowdfunding Powering the Front
The Sternenko Foundation is a lifeline for Ukraine’s drone pilots. Supported by hundreds of thousands of tiny donations, it has shipped more than 210,000 FPV drones since the war started. Units such as the Ronin drone unit have utilized $500 drones to shut down systems valued at $40–$100 million. As Ronin pilot Andriy put it, the continuous feedback to manufacturers means they can make quick upgrades, allowing strikes up to 55 kilometers away beyond the capability of many off-the-shelf FPVs.
4. Asymmetric Warfare at a Low Cost
The cost ratio of this kind of operation is simply mind-boggling. Andriy calculated that destroying 15 Buk systems cost approximately $27,500 in drones, causing Russia losses of $150–$600 million. Commentators observe that simply damaging one radar can destroy an entire battery, so such attacks are disproportionately effective. It results in this economic asymmetry compelling Russia to either accept the losses or shift costly assets to counter relatively inexpensive threats.
5. Sudden Adaptation to Opponent Countermeasures
Each is engaged in a measure-countermeasure cycle. Russian troops have tried to protect Buks by relocating them further back from the front and using electronic jamming. As a response, Ukrainian operators have used repeater drones to keep control links open in jammed areas. This rapidity is part of a larger trend in the conflict, where adaptation cycles can be on the order of weeks rather than months or years, resulting in constant innovation in drone warfare.
6. Widening the Target Scope
Although launchers are under scrutiny, Ukraine has also been striking related assets such as the Zoopark-1 artillery-locating radar and Uragan-1 multiple launch rocket systems. Special Operations Forces disabled three Buk systems in Russia’s Kursk region in April within 12 hours by hitting radars and a Buk-M2 launcher concealed in a wood. Such a scope of targeting undermines several layers of Russia’s air defense and artillery coordination.
7. Written Strategic Influence
Open-source intelligence collective Oryx has visually verified the destruction of 41 Buk-M1 launchers, 14 Buk-M3 launchers, and several radar vehicles since February 2022. Although real losses are higher, these numbers show a systemic campaign. As Defense Express noted, every strike is “systematically dismantling” Russia’s air defense umbrella, making it easier for Ukrainian drones, missiles, and future fighter aircraft like the upcoming F-16s to fly with more freedom.
Ukraine’s destruction of Russia’s Buk systems is more than a count of knocked-out machinery; it is a case study of how contemporary armies may marshal technology, intelligence, and popular support to combat a better-armed rival. By targeting the center of Russia’s air defense network, Kyiv is not only clearing the skies of immediate threats, but also resetting the wartime tactical environment.
