Russian suicide UAV attacks Ukraine's S-300 site

Russian forces deployed Lancet UAVs to attack Ukrainian S-300 long-range air defense systems, destroying at least two clusters of ammunition carriers and launchers.

The Voenacher Telegram account, which specializes in posting documents about Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, shared a video from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on May 23, showing the moment the Ukrainian S-300 missile site was attacked.

In the first video, two Ukrainian 5P85S/D ammunition carriers and launchers covered in camouflage nets were discovered by a Russian reconnaissance UAV in a resting state in a fortified bunker, not yet in combat mode.

The Russian Lancet suicide drone then crashed straight into the missile launcher in the S-300 site and exploded. The strike did not detonate the missile in its storage tube, but caused severe damage to the launcher's control equipment compartment.

Russian suicide UAV attacks Ukraine's S-300 site — Ukrainian S-300 sites attacked by Russia in video released on May 23. Video: *Telegram/Voenacher*

The ambush likely left both launchers incapacitated, as the control compartment on the 5P85S vehicle was responsible for connecting and controlling the operations of the adjacent 5P85D platform.

The second video, shot with a thermal imaging sensor on a Russian UAV, does not show the type of weapon used to attack the Ukrainian S-300 site. At least three explosions were recorded, one of which appeared to have triggered the solid fuel of the S-300 missile, causing it to launch itself and crash into a nearby clearing.

The time and location of the first site attacked were not disclosed, while the second site appears to be in the Ukrainian-controlled part of Zaporizhzhia province. The Russian Defense Ministry announced on May 21 that it had destroyed a Ukrainian S-300 system in the village of Zheltoye in Donetsk province.

The S-300 system remains the main long-range air defense missile in Ukraine's service, as the country has just received two US-made Patriot systems and must prioritize protecting the capital Kiev.

Recently leaked classified US documents assess that Ukraine’s air defenses have been increasingly eroded after more than a year of fighting and are unable to prevent Russia from gaining complete air superiority. Ukraine’s stockpile of S-300 missiles is also at risk of being depleted in the near future.

Western experts say running out of air defense missiles would be a catastrophic scenario for Ukraine, leaving many gaps in its air defense network. That would allow Russian aircraft to approach more targets and fire short-range weapons, instead of using expensive and limited-supply long-range missiles.

The situation on the Russia - Ukraine battlefield. Graphics: WP

The Lancet suicide UAV, launched by Russia in 2019, is capable of operating independently, without the support of ground or sea control systems. After detecting a target, the Lancet can rush to destroy it with the explosives it carries in its body. Sensors on the Lancet will record the process of rushing to the target and transmit images directly to the command post to evaluate the effectiveness of the attack.

The original Lancet variant has a range of 40 km and carries a 3 kg warhead, while the upgraded Lancet has a superior range and is equipped with a more powerful 5 kg warhead.

Vu Anh (According to Ria Novosti, Reuters )

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