Armed Forces control the loading of the transport rocket-loading machine on a self-propelled launcher operational-tactical missile complex Iskander-M. Sergei Orlov/RIA Novosti
A missile launched by the 9K720 Iskander system had scored a direct hit on a Ukrainian air-defense system, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on March 26.
The ministry shared footage of the pinpoint strike that completely destroyed the air-defense system, a fully-loaded Buk-M1 9A310M1 TELAR [transporter erector launcher and radar]. The system was deployed to the southwest of the Ukraine capital, Kyiv.
The missile strike was coordinated with a drone, which was apparently used to locate, identify and tack the air-defense system.
The Ukrainian Buk-M1 system, which has a maximum range of 35 kilometers, failed to discover the drone, or to intercept the incoming missile.
The Iskander system can launch a variety of ballistic and cruise missiles. The air-defense system was likely targeted with the 9M723 quasi-ballistic missile, which reportedly has a range of up to 500 kilometers.
The maneuverable missile is guided by the GLONASS satellite navigation system and INS [inertial navigation system]. The missile can be also equipped with an optical seeker with a DSMAC [digitized scene-mapping area correlator] system for terminal guidance.
Click to see full-size image.
The Russian military has been using the Iskander missile system to hit high value military targets deep in Ukraine’s territory since the beginning of its special military operation in the country. Western sources claim that the Russian military has fired more than 1,000 ballistic and cruise missiles on Ukraine, so far.
In the recent weeks, the Russian military ramped up its efforts to neutralize Ukraine’s remaining air defenses. According to the military’s official account, 207 Ukrainian air defense systems have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation.
