Russia released a video of a UAV monitoring Ukraine's "IRIS-T missile site" before guided missiles attacked the target.
"Russian tactical aviation, missile forces and artillery units destroyed the German-made IRIS-T air defense missile launcher, ammunition depots and a large number of weapons of the Ukrainian army," the Russian Defense Ministry said on April 14.
Russian defense television later released images from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), showing a battlefield consisting of a TRML-4D multifunctional radar and an ammunition carrier and launcher of the IRIS-T complex deployed next to the trees.
The first missile crashed and exploded next to the radar, causing shockwaves and shrapnel. The second hit a house next to the launch pad, causing smoke to rise from the vehicle, but it is unclear whether there was a secondary explosion. The final image shows the TRML-4D radar vehicle on fire.
The Russian missile that attacked the battlefield is suspected to be an IRIS-T missile from Ukraine in a video released on April 14. Video: Russian Ministry of Defense
The location of the complex's deployment was not disclosed, but georeferenced data suggests it is located in Kharkiv province, about 35 kilometers from the Russian border. The Russian Defense Ministry did not disclose the type of missile used in the strike.
The Ukrainian military has not commented on the information.
The IRIS-T SLM medium-range air defense missile has a range of 40 km and is capable of shooting down targets at a maximum altitude of 20 km, designed to protect key locations from attacks from aircraft, helicopters, drones or missiles.
Each complex consists of a command vehicle, a multi-purpose radar station and three launchers with up to 24 combat-ready missiles. The TRML-4D radar can track up to 1,500 targets with a theoretical range of 250 km and is capable of tracking fighter jets at a distance of over 120 km.
This is considered one of Ukraine's most modern air defense shields, helping the country fill the defense gap after many S-300 and Buk-M1 complexes were destroyed. Ukrainian military commanders once claimed that this system intercepted 100% of targets during the battle.
Germany has committed to supplying 12 IRIS-T SLM medium-range systems and 24 launchers of the IRIS-T SLS short-range version to Ukraine, of which three SLM complexes and two SLS launchers have been delivered in 2022-2023. The Russian military has repeatedly attacked IRIS-T sites, destroying at least one TRML-4D radar and several launchers.
Julian Ropcke, a German reporter who specializes in monitoring the war situation, on April 12 quoted an anonymous source in the Ukrainian military as saying that the country had almost exhausted its Patriot and IRIS-T missile stocks that had been aided by the West, while many other air defense systems were also running out of ammunition or had been destroyed by Russia.
Vu Anh (According to Zvezda, Ukrainska Pravda )
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