Ukrainian SOF destroy Russian Buk SAM and Uragan MLRS in coordinated strike

Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) reported the destruction of an advanced Russian Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system and a rare variant of Uragan-1 MLRS during a joint combat mission. Footage was released on 13 May, without disclosing the sector of the strike.

Russian air defense systems present a significant battlefield threat, making their elimination by all available means essential. Destroying such advanced systems is a major loss for the adversary and opens opportunities for Ukrainian combat aviation, cruise missile launches, and long-range strike drone operations.

SSO says the action was initiated after special operators spotted both systems during a reconnaissance operation. Militarnyi notes that the Buk-M3 SAM system was positioned to defend the nearby Uragan launcher.

Ukrainian operators first struck the Buk with a loitering munition, resulting in a large detonation of its ammunition load. This opened the way for the strike team to target the Uragan using several drones and a likely HIMARS-guided rocket strike.

Rare Uragan model destroyed

Militarnyi noted that the eliminated Uragan-1 was a rare version deployed by Russia only since late 2023. Built on a BAZ-69092 truck chassis with an armored cab, it features 12 launch tubes for 220 mm rockets, similar to its Soviet predecessor, but includes new navigation equipment.

Russian Uragan MLRS on BAZ-69092 chassis in Ukraine, September 2024. Photo: Russian media, via Militarnyi

The destroyed Uragan model is considered rare among Russian artillery forces, which still mostly rely on older variants based on the ZIL-135 chassis.

Despite its reinforced design, including a cab resistant to fragmentation and reportedly capable of withstanding GMLRS shrapnel warheads, this Uragan did not survive the Ukrainian strike.

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