Ukraine's rare S-300V1 targets Russian Sukhoi jets: what makes it unique

Defense Express reported the information.

The Ukrainian ministry posted a recruitment video on its official Twitter account, showcasing a crew operating the S-300V1 system. In the video, the soldiers explain that their missile defense system has successfully intercepted not only cruise missiles targeting Ukraine’s critical infrastructure but also Russian Sukhoi aircraft. These aircraft were involved in dropping guided bombs on Ukrainian positions and frontline cities.

The Ukrainian Air Force had previously announced the downing of Russian Su-34s on August 14, 2024, and February 18, 2025, though details surrounding these incidents were not disclosed. Additionally, on October 12, 2024, a Russian Su-34 was lost during a guided bombing mission. Russia also opted for not revealing the circumstances.

“This video marks one of the few official mentions of the S-300V1 in Ukraine’s Armed Forces since the beginning of the full-scale war. Prior to this, there were only sporadic references to the S-300V1, including a video from the Ukrainian Air Force in February 2025 that had garnered attention,” the agency stresses.

The S-300V1 is based on the T-80 chassis and can launch two types of rare missiles: the 9M82 (two missiles per launcher) and the 9M83 (four missiles per launcher), both with a range of up to 100 kilometers. Publicly available footage shows the S-300V1 in use with 9M83 missiles, which are even rarer than the 5B55s used with the older S-300PT/PS systems.

While the S-300V1 has proven effective, “maintaining these Soviet-era systems presents challenges. Consequently, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are expected to eventually replace the S-300V1 with more modern, Western-style air defense systems,” Defense Express concludes.