A Ukrainian National Guard combat drone successfully struck a Russian Buk-M1 surface-to-air missile system in Donetsk Oblast, Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko reported on 6 January 2025.
Klymenko said:
“Last week, our guardsmen destroyed the occupiers’ expensive Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system. Effective reconnaissance combined with precise combat operation ensures quality demilitarization of the enemy army, as seen in the video.”
According to Militarnyi, surveillance drones first detected the air defense system during its movement and tracked it until it stopped. A heavy bomber drone was then called in for the strike.
The report indicates that enemy forces likely spotted the attacking drone, as the Buk-M1 unit attempted to relocate when the drone approached. However, the drone operator managed to score two direct hits on the vehicle. The installed anti-drone “cope cage” failed to protect the unit from the strikes. The attack triggered detonations of anti-aircraft missiles.
OSINT analysys by the “War in Ukraine. Equipment Losses.” identified the strike location near Vodiane, Donetsk Oblast, close to Donetsk airport, about 20 kilometers behind the lines as of early January 2025.
Shifting drone attack paradigm
Militarnyi notes that previously, expensive and limited long-range kamikaze drones and HIMARS precision rockets were used for such strikes. However, since autumn 2024, numerous videos have emerged showing large bomber drones directly striking self-propelled firing units and vehicles from Russian air defense complexes far behind the front line.
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