Video of the launch of a likely modernized Ukrainian S-200 missile is published for the first time
The first video of the launch of a Ukrainian missile, which appears to be an S-200 adapted for striking ground targets, is posted online.
The footage of the missile launch appeared in Ukrainian public media covering the war, and later was shown by Russian military propagandists.
It is not known for certain whether the video actually shows the launch of a modified S-200 missile, nor where and when it was filmed.
The tactical and technical characteristics of the modernized Ukrainian S-200 are also unknown. The Russians claimed that the missiles could hit ground targets at a range of up to 600 kilometers. Defense Express editor-in-chief Oleh Katkov said that these missiles have not yet demonstrated such a range in practice.
The video was also published by journalist Yuriy Butusov on Monday, October 2.
He also believes that this could be the first visual confirmation of the combat launch of the S-200 5B28 missile to hit ground targets.
“Most likely, only the body remains of the original missile. After all, in order to turn this missile into a ballistic missile, it was necessary to redesign the guidance system,” Butusov writes.
The S-200 anti-aircraft missile systems were decommissioned in Ukraine ten years ago. “The Soviet missile of the 1960s had a long range – it was supposed to shoot down US B-52 strategic bombers flying at high altitudes and distances. Now in Ukraine, the S-200 missiles are probably being converted to strike Russian ground targets.
