Russian missiles have destroyed two batteries of US-made ‘Patriot’ air defense systems and a German IRIS-T in two regions of Ukraine, according to videos released by the Defense Ministry in Moscow on Friday.
The US and its allies have sent an unspecified number of air defense systems to Ukraine, following Vladimir Zelensky’s pleas to help Kiev deal with Russian airstrikes.
The first Ministry of Defense (MOD) video showed reconnaissance drone footage of two Patriot launchers and a AN/MPQ-65 radar station, in a field near Lyubimovka in Dnepropetrovsk Region. The field is then struck by cluster munitions from an Iskander-M missile.
The radar station can be seen exploding. The MOD said that both launchers were “completely destroyed” as well.
The second video was reportedly shot near Zhelobok, also in Dnepropetrovsk Region. The Ukrainian position consists of three Patriot launchers and another AN/MPQ-65 radar. One of the launchers can be seen releasing two missiles before an Iskander strike peppers the field with cluster bombs. Two of the launchers and the radar were completely destroyed, the Russian MOD said.
All three strikes were filmed by reconnaissance drones, operating deep inside Ukraine with no apparent obstructions.
Developed by the US military contractor Raytheon, the ‘Patriot’ system has been advertised as one of the most effective air defenses in the West since the 1991 Gulf War, when it reportedly shot down Iraqi ballistic missiles.
According to publicly released specifications, it can engage targets at a range of up to 160km and altitudes of up to 24km. A typical Patriot battery consists of several launchers, a radar vehicle and a “power plant” truck, and is serviced by up to 90 personnel.
Russian military has successfully targeted two American-made MIM-104 Patriot long-range air defense systems of Kiev forces in the Dnepropetrovsk region, the Ministry of Defense announced on August 16.
The first Patriot system was struck close to the settlement of Zhelobok, while the second was hit near the settlement of Lyubomovka. Each of the systems was made up of two M90x Launching Stations and one AN/MPQ-65 fire control radar. Both were targeted with Iskander-M tactical ballistic missiles armed with cluster warheads.
Videos released by the ministry indicate that two systems were hit. The one deployed near Zhelobok fired two interceptors at the incoming missile, but failed to stop it.
Ukraine received last year two Patriot systems and two launchers from Germany and another system from the United States with two additional launchers donated by the Netherlands. The systems were a mix of PAC-2 and PAC-3. Most of these systems have already been damaged or destroyed by the Russian military.
The Kiev regime has been begging its allies in the West to supply its forces with additional Patriot systems for the last few months.
In response to these demands, the United States, Germany and Romania each promised to supply a system to Ukraine in recent months. Other countries like the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Spain said that they would provide additional missiles.
The Patriots in Dnepropetrovsk were not the only Ukrainian air defense systems to be hit by the Russian military on August 16. Two other systems were targeted in the region of Sumy.
A Kh-35 cruise missile hit a fully armed launcher of the Soviet-made S-125 medium-range air defense system near the settlement of Ryabina. A German-made IRIS-T SLM medium-range air defense system made up of a single launcher and a TRML-4D fire control radar was also struck by an Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile with an airburst warhead close to the settlement of Sennoye.
The Russian military intensified strikes on the air defenses of Kiev forces in recent months, destroying dozens of radars and air defense systems, including Western-made ones. As a result, Ukraine’s air defense capabilities were highly degraded.