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Watch: Ukraine turns Russian Buk SAM system into fireworks in perfect strike

Footage shared by the Khortytsia Grouping of Forces shows the destruction of another Russian anti-air asset in eastern Ukraine.
byYuri Zoria
17/05/2025
3 minute read
watch ukraine turns russian buk sam system fireworks perfect strike destruction buk-m1 eastern 16 2025 earlier bukm1-buk-m1 ukraine's operative-strategic grouping forces khortytsia reported surface-to-air missile ukraine’s sector report coordinated artillery
Destruction of Russian Buk-M1 SAM system in eastern Ukraine on 16 May 2025 or earlier. Source: Telegram/OSUV Khortytsia
Watch: Ukraine turns Russian Buk SAM system into fireworks in perfect strike

On 16 May, Ukraine’s Operative-Strategic Grouping of Forces Khortytsia reported the destruction of a Russian Buk-M1 surface-to-air missile system in Ukraine’s eastern sector. According to the report, the strike was coordinated by artillery scouts from the Chornyi Lis (“Black Forest”) Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The Russian air defense assets have been among Ukraine’s priority targets. The destruction of Russian anti-air systems paves the way for more effective Ukrainian drone and missile strikes, while also enabling greater operational use of Ukraine’s military aircraft on the battlefield.

The Buk-M1 system was identified while relocating, and the scouts managed to detect and guide fire on the target. As a result, the system was hit directly along with its full load of missiles. The impact caused a massive explosion, captured on video, and published via Telegram by Khortytsia.

The footage shows visible secondary detonations that followed the strike — a fireworks-like eruptions caused by the hit igniting the Buk’s loaded ammunition.

Khortytsia emphasized that the destruction of a fully operational Buk-M1 system significantly reduces Russian combat ability in the region for the foreseeable future. According to the report, “each such explosion and elimination of critical Russian weapons systems weakens enemy capacity on the battlefield over time.”

The Buk-M1 is a Russian self-propelled surface-to-air missile system used to engage aerodynamic targets at low and medium altitudes. It remains a key element of Russian air defense capabilities. The estimated cost of one such system is approximately $10 million, Khortytsia notes.

Previous Russian Buk loss occurred days ago

Only days ago, another Russian Buk system, this time a Buk-M3, was destroyed by Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces at an undisclosed location. Following that strike, a HIMARS unit hit a multiple launch rocket system that had been operating under the Buk’s protection.

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