Two weeks after a Russian drone spotted a target allowing a Russian missile to swiftly attack two Ukrainian Patriot surface-to-air missile launchers, the Russians have now found and struck a Ukrainian NASAMS air defense missile battery, according to Forbes .
A video posted on social media by Russian forces on March 16 depicts what appears to be a precision missile strike on a NASAMS launch pad, located approximately 48 kilometers from the front lines in the Zaporizhzhia province of southern Ukraine.
Ukraine struggles to counter Russian night-vision drones.
This could be the second time Ukraine has lost NASAMS launchers. Before Republican lawmakers in the US Congress cut aid in October 2023, Washington had provided Ukraine with 12 NASAMS batteries, each containing several radars, at least one control station, and 9-12 launchers. Ukraine is preparing to receive an additional 15-18 NASAMS launchers from Canada, Norway, and Lithuania.
During the two years of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russian forces struggled to strike moving targets just a few kilometers from the front lines. However, that situation has changed recently.
A NASAMS launch pad
During a bloody month of fighting against Ukrainian air defenses, artillery, and pilots, Russian forces found and destroyed Ukraine's Patriot air defense system, its first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), and two Mi-17 attack helicopters, according to Forbes . In each case, the Ukrainian systems were located dozens of kilometers behind the front lines and were either on or about to move.
Currently, Russia's kill chain, comprising networked UAVs and artillery capable of detecting targets deep behind enemy lines and striking before they move, is rapidly becoming more formidable, according to Forbes .
Thanks to deeper reconnaissance and longer-range, faster, and more accurate firing, Russian forces are improving on one of their long-standing weaknesses and undermining what was once considered a crucial advantage for Ukraine, according to Forbes .
There is currently no information on the reaction of either Ukraine or Russia to the above statement.
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