Ukrainian forces triumph with rare Russian Uragan-1 takedown
Ukrainian special forces destroyed a rare Russian Uragan-1 MLRS system, initially mistaken for the Korean KN-09.
The Ukrainian special forces released footage of the destruction of the Russian Uragan-1 MLRS system and the Buk-M3 air defence system that was protecting it. According to Defence Express, the success is credited to the Ballista unit. The Uragan-1 is a rare system, with deliveries to the Russian army starting in 2023.
modern chassis and crew protection
The Uragan-1 differs from its predecessor with a new BAZ-69092 chassis, which replaced the old ZIL-135LM. The vehicle is equipped with an armoured cabin, increasing crew survivability and protection from shrapnel. Despite having a modern chassis, the system still requires the use of an artillery compass for targeting, which negatively affects the time to transition to a combat position.
New Russian self-propelled howitzers, such as the 2S43 Malva and 2S44 Giatsint-K, also rely on similar chassis. The 220 mm calibre launcher and guidance system used in the Uragan-1 MLRS was taken from the Uragan MLRS without making changes to its design.
The footage showing the destruction of the Uragan-1 sparked much controversy. The FPV drone footage shows a horizontal flight trajectory, whereas the reconnaissance drone video shows a vertical approach to the target. This suggests that the Uragan-1 might have been hit by an M30A1 rocket from the American HIMARS system, rather than by an FPV drone.
Uragan-1 mistaken for the Korean KN-09 system
Previously, the footage of the Uragan-1 destruction was misidentified as the North Korean KN-09 system and later as the M1991 MLRS. Defence Express reports that Ukrainian HIMARS destroyed a North Korean KN-09 launcher in Russia's Kursk region, marking the first confirmed destruction of this system.
