A Russian Buk M3 surface to air missile system was obliterated near Rylsk in Russia’s Kursk region. The advanced system, known for its 70 kilometre range and considered one of Russia’s most modern air defence platforms, was targeted by a Switchblade 600 drone. The strike caused a catastrophic ammunition explosion, adding yet another Buk system to the long list of destroyed Kremlin military assets.
The destruction was filmed and geolocated along a forested road close to Rylsk, a known hub for Russian military operations. Ukrainian forces have been conducting intensified air raids in the region, and it is believed the Buk M3 was recently moved into position to counter these increasing attacks. Its failure to do so underscores the vulnerability of Russian air defences to modern drone warfare.
This strike adds to the 105 confirmed Buk systems destroyed by Ukraine since the full scale invasion began, with an additional 19 reported damaged. Russia initially had around 310 Buk systems in active service and another 100 in storage. These losses severely impact the Kremlin’s ability to shield key regions and provide reliable anti-air coverage across occupied and border territories.
In a related development, visual confirmation has emerged of a separately destroyed Russian Pantsir air defence system, bringing the known total of such losses to 30. While details on the location and method of this strike remain unknown, the burnt-out wreckage is now verified. The Pantsir systems, typically deployed to defend high value assets including airbases and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s palatial residences, have become increasingly rare sights in Ukraine due to losses.
