Ukraine Special Forces Claim Destruction of Russian Missile System in Zaporizhzhia

Kyiv: Ukraine Defense Intelligence (DIU) announced that a special forces unit had “successfully detected and destroyed” a Russian Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system on Sunday. The DIU specified that this significant Russian defensive asset, valued between $40 to $50 million, was targeted in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region in southeastern Ukraine. The missile system, capable of engaging airborne, sea, and land-based targets, was reportedly located near Oleksandrivka in the Melitopol district. However, these claims have not been independently verified.

According to Deutsche Welle, this development comes amidst Ukraine’s intensified attacks on Russian infrastructure, aiming to disrupt military fuel supplies and cut off crucial funding sources for Russia’s ongoing invasion. Recent Ukrainian operations reportedly included strikes on oil refineries and railway lines. On Sunday, Ukraine also claimed to have targeted the Kirishi oil refinery, one of Russia’s largest, located 110 kilometers southeast of St. Petersburg and 800 kilometers north of Ukraine.