A Malakhit-M vehicle was taken out by a Lancet drone in Sumy Region, according to the Defense Ministry
Source: Russian Defense Ministry
Russian forces have destroyed a Ukrainian mobile radar station, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said, releasing the video of the strike.
In a statement to TASS news agency on Wednesday, the ministry said the Malakhit-M vehicle had been spotted by aerial reconnaissance in Ukraine’s Sumy Region, which borders Kursk Region where fierce fighting has been taking place for almost a month.
The radar station was subsequently completely destroyed by a Lancet kamikaze drone, officials added.
The undated clip published by the ministry shows a Malakhit vehicle positioned in wooded terrain, which is then directly hit by a drone. Moments after the explosion, the vehicle is completely engulfed in flames, with plumes of smoke rising into the air. The fate of the crew is unknown.
The Malakhit-M is a modernized Ukrainian version of the Soviet-era P-18 radar station that was introduced in the 1970s. It can detect small, low-signature targets at a range of up to 400km. As of 2022, the Ukrainian military was estimated to have around 50 of these radar stations.
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As drone warfare has become one of the most prominent features of the Ukraine conflict, Russia has been actively using Lancet drones against various Ukrainian targets, including Western-supplied tanks. Developed by ZALA Aero Group, which is part of Kalashnikov Concern, the drone has several modifications, carrying a payload of up to 3kg with a maximum range of 50km.