- Ukrainian strike drones destroyed two Russian S-400 air defense launchers with ammunition in Russia’s Belgorod region on December 14, 2025, according to Ukraine’s General Staff.
- The attack targeted a moving S-400 unit operated by Russia’s 568th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment near Verkhniy Olshanets, about 50 kilometers from the border.
Ukrainian strike drones destroyed two self-propelled launchers of Russia’s S-400 air defense system in the Belgorod region, according to Ukrainian military officials and open-source analysis released this week.
As reported by Militarnyi, citing the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the strike took place on December 14, 2025, in a deployment area used by the Russian military. The General Staff also released video footage showing the engagement.
According to the Ukrainian military, the attack targeted elements of a Russian S-400 “Triumf” surface-to-air missile system operated by the 568th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment of the Russian Armed Forces. The strike was carried out by operators of strike drones from the 15th Separate Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade, known as “Black Forest.”
The video published alongside the statement shows Russian air defense personnel moving along a field road, likely during a change of combat position. The footage captures the moment when Ukrainian drones strike the column, leading to detonations consistent with the presence of loaded missile launchers.
Open-source intelligence analyst @moklasen, writing on the social media platform X, analyzed the footage and determined that the S-400 launchers were hit near the settlement of Verkhniy Olshanets. The location is approximately 50 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, placing the strike well inside Russia’s Belgorod region.
According to data released by the Ukrainian General Staff, the attack resulted in the destruction of two launchers belonging to the S-400 “Triumf” air defense system, along with their associated ammunition. Militarnyi reported that the destroyed systems included launch vehicles carrying ready-to-fire missiles.
Earlier, the Telegram channel “Dossier of a Spy” reported that a Ukrainian drone strike hit a column of S-400 systems moving through the Belgorod region at around 4:30 p.m. local time. That report claimed the destruction of one 5P85SM2-01 launcher and damage to another launcher of the same type.
The General Staff later stated that following the drone impact, a detonation destroyed four 48N6DM surface-to-air missiles stored in their transport-launch containers. The 48N6DM is one of the primary interceptor missiles used by the S-400 system and is designed to engage aircraft, cruise missiles, and certain ballistic targets at long range.
The S-400 “Triumf” is Russia’s long-range air defense system and is used to protect key military sites, infrastructure, and border regions. Each launcher typically carries four missiles, and the loss of launchers with loaded ammunition represents both equipment losses and a reduction in available air defense coverage.