- German analyst Julian Röpcke criticized European defense procurement after a Ukrainian kamikaze drone destroyed a Russian Buk-M1 air defense system more than 100 kilometers from the front line in Zaporizhzhia.
- He contrasted the drone’s reported 45,000 euro unit cost and combat record with higher-priced European programs, arguing that battlefield-proven systems are being overlooked in procurement decisions.
German analyst Julian Röpcke renewed his criticism of European defense procurement systems after Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian Buk-M1 surface-to-air missile system at a distance of more than 100 kilometers in the Zaporizhzhia region.
In a post on X, he cited the combat performance and cost of a Ukrainian-made kamikaze drone used in the strike.
Referring to competing European drone projects, Röpcke wrote in German, “Is it a Virtus? Is it an HX-2? No, it is a Bulava!” He was drawing a contrast between higher-profile European programs and the Ukrainian system used in the strike.
He described the drone as “combat-proven and in service for two years,” adding that it “destroys Russian air defense systems at a real distance of 100 kilometers under conditions of electronic warfare.” His remarks emphasized the platform’s range and its ability to operate despite electronic countermeasures.
Röpcke also focused on cost, writing that the drone costs “not 95,000 euros, not 52,000 euros, but 45,000 euros per unit.” He concluded with a criticism of European bureaucracy, stating that “the ways of the procurement office are inscrutable.”
The strike he referenced involved crews of Ukraine’s 422nd Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment, which destroyed a Russian Buk-M1 air defense system more than 100 kilometers from the line of contact in the Zaporizhzhia region. The system had been deployed deep inside occupied territory near Prymorsk.
An OSINT analyst known as moklasen on X established the geolocation of the strike at coordinates 46.769864432, 36.3161556406. According to Ukrainian sources, the Buk-M1 was providing air defense cover for Russian forces in the area.
The Buk-M1 is a mobile medium-range air defense system designed to engage aircraft and certain types of missiles. When deployed in rear areas, it provides layered protection for troop concentrations, logistics hubs, and command infrastructure.