Pride of the Russian military industry wiped out
The S-350 Vityaz is a mobile surface-to-air missile system developed by the Russian company Almaz-Antey. It is designed to protect state, administrative, industrial, and military facilities and groupings of troops from attacks by modern and advanced air attack weapons. The system can carry up to 16 aircraft or 12 vertically launched missiles, and can engage up to 16 aerodynamic targets or 12 ballistic targets simultaneously. It is considered one of the most advanced air defense systems in the world, and a rival to the US-made Patriot system.
However, the pride of the Russian military industry was recently wiped out by a daring operation carried out by the 11th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. The 11th Brigade is a military unit from Odesa, formed in 1992. It is named after Mykhailo Hrushevskyi, the first president of the Ukrainian People’s Republic. The brigade is responsible for public order and security, and has participated in the war in Donbas and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
According to TVP World, a Polish news channel, soldiers from the 11th Brigade used two FPV drones to take out an S-350 Vityaz air defense system in the Kherson region, near the border with Crimea. The drones were equipped with explosives and cameras, and were guided by the soldiers to the target. The operation was successful, and the S-350 Vityaz was destroyed, along with its radar and command vehicles. The drones also captured the footage of the attack, which was broadcasted by TVP World.
This is a remarkable achievement for the Ukrainian forces, who have been facing a fierce aggression from Russia since 2014. The destruction of the S-350 Vityaz not only demonstrates the courage and skill of the 11th Brigade, but also the vulnerability of the Russian air defense systems. It also shows the potential of using low-cost and innovative technologies to counter the conventional and expensive weapons of the enemy. The 11th Brigade has proven that the Ukrainian spirit is stronger than the Russian steel.
