Russia's 'Grizzly' SAM System and Radar Detonate in Fiery Blast: Video

Dramatic combat footage is emerging from the front lines in Ukraine as Kyiv's forces press their counteroffensive and hunt valuable Russian weapons systems that are essential for Moscow's troops trying to hold their defensive lines.

Ukraine's long-awaited counterattack operation has been underway since early June. Progress has been slow and casualties high, but officials in Kyiv have urged patience among foreign partners. Ukrainian planners and commanders have said the operation is going to plan, suggesting that the erosion of Russia's combat abilities is as significant as geographical progress, if not more so.

A video from the eastern Donetsk front published by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Saturday showed the destruction of a Russian surface-to-air (SAM) anti-aircraft system, identified by the Ukraine Weapons Tracker Twitter account as a Buk-M2, which has the NATO reporting name "Grizzly."

Also reportedly destroyed in the precision shelling was the 9A316 TEL and 9S36-series illumination and engagement radar that accompanied the Buk.

The Ukrainian armed forces identified the system as a Buk-M3 SAM, an upgraded version of the Buk-M2 known as "Viking" in its export form and "Gollum" in its naval form. But the OSINTtechnical Twitter account disputed the video's labeling of the system as a Buk-M3, noting that the destroyed target did not have the cannisterized tubes associated with the more modern launcher.

Newsweek was unable to independently verify the exact system destroyed and has contacted the Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries by email to request comment.

The footage was shot by a drone hovering above a tree line close to the village of Novopetrykivka, close to the southern front line where Ukrainian and Russian forces are engaged in intense combat. Kyiv's forces are trying to identify and exploit weak points in this area, hoping to break through toward the occupied city of Melitopol and eventually the Sea of Azov coastline.

In the video, the first shell fired by Ukraine's 15th Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade lands close to, and destroys, the radar system. Moments later, a second shell lands next to the Buk launcher itself, causing its missiles to detonate in a series of secondary explosions.

Alongside the video, Ukraine's armed forces Twitter account explained that the Buk "was supposed to cover the skies of the occupiers. It was destroyed in 5 minutes. Thus, our military opened up an entire area for the free 'work' of our gunnery friends. Now, they can work unhindered on enemy warehouses, infantry and vehicles."

The destruction of high-value Russian weapons systems and ammunition depots is central to the Ukrainian counteroffensive. "The main task facing us now, apart from moving forward, is, of course, weakening the enemy's ability to defend itself," Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said last week, as quoted by Ukrinform. "And, in fact, this is being done now."

She continued: "Dozens of ammunition depots are destroyed every week, hundreds of Russian soldiers are decimated per day, their equipment [is destroyed]. We already see signs that it is becoming increasingly difficult for the enemy to resist. And our defenders are full of strength to move forward."

The prevalence of short- and medium-range anti-aircraft systems on the battlefields of Ukraine has made aerial operations difficult for both sides. Russia was expected to secure air superiority over Ukraine in the opening hours of its February 2022 invasion but failed to do so because of a combination of resolute Ukrainian pilots and Russian incompetence.

Since then, the skies have remained contested. In recent months, ground combat has been relatively static, shaped largely by light infantry squads assaulting fixed positions supported by artillery. Airstrikes—with planes, helicopters, drones, and missiles—continue on both sides.

Russian and Ukrainian artillery and drone teams are hunting enemy SAMs, hoping to open gaps that can be exploited by attack aircraft. Ukraine says it has destroyed 460 Russian anti-aircraft systems since February 2022, a figure Newsweek is unable to independently verify.

Meanwhile, Kyiv is still lobbying its Western partners to commit NATO-made aircraft to the fighting. There now appears to be NATO consensus for Ukraine to eventually receive American-made F-16 fighter jets but not until the first batch of pilots has been trained and the necessary ground infrastructure put in place.

The first group of Ukrainian pilots is expected to begin training in August, and instruction is anticipated to take several months.