Ukrainian drone operators have successfully eliminated a Russian Osa air defence system in the Vuhledar area, delivering another blow to Russian military capabilities. The operation was conducted by the 413th ‘Raid’ Battalion of the Unmanned Systems Forces and was confirmed through an official statement on their Telegram page.
The Russian anti-aircraft missile system was stationed near the village of Bohoiavlenka in the Donetsk region, within the Ukrainian battalion’s area of responsibility. The Ukrainian forces used an American-manufactured Switchblade 600 loitering munition, which struck and destroyed the target with precision.
The Osa-AKM system, originally developed during the Soviet era, is an all-weather system designed to protect Russian forces from aerial threats. It is equipped with six 9M33M3 anti-aircraft guided missiles, capable of engaging targets within a range of 1.5 to 10 kilometres and at altitudes between 10 to 5000 metres. The system is frequently deployed along the frontline and in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories to shield Russian troops and strategic facilities.
This recent strike is part of a pattern of successful Ukrainian military actions against Russian air defence systems. Ukrainian forces have repeatedly neutralised such systems using a variety of weaponry. According to open-source intelligence data from Oryx, Russia has lost a total of 15 Osa air defence systems since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, five systems have been documented as damaged, one was abandoned on the battlefield, and four have been captured by Ukrainian forces.
These losses continue to highlight the vulnerability of Russian defences against Ukraine’s advanced drone warfare tactics. Ukrainian military innovation has played a crucial role in countering Russian aggression, and this latest destruction of the Osa system reinforces Ukraine’s ability to disrupt Russian military operations.
Earlier, reports indicated that Ukrainian unmanned maritime drones had successfully transported FPV strike drones to Russian-occupied coastal regions. This operation resulted in successful strikes against two additional Russian air defence systems, including another Osa-AKM and a Strela-10 system. According to sources, these strikes were carried out in coordination between the Ukrainian Navy and the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU). The naval drone carriers discreetly transported the FPV drones to their target locations before external pilots remotely guided them to strike and destroy Russian assets.
Be First to Comment