Anti-aircraft gunners of the Center group of forces intercepted HIMARS shells

Calculations of the Buk-M2 anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS) of the 297th Guards anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Center group of forces intercepted HIMARS multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) in the Red Army area of the special military operation (SVO). This was announced on December 20 by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

"We waited until it entered the affected area and the consumption was the defeat of the target. <...> The most delicious, so to speak, is HIMARS. This is one of the specific goals that we are currently working on," Maxim Agarkov, captain and battery commander, told the Guard.

The Defense Ministry said that during combat duty, the crew identified two Ukrainian air targets, determined their location and launched two anti-aircraft missiles to eliminate them. The aerial targets were destroyed at a considerable distance from the combat installation, after which it was taken to a shelter and camouflaged for safety reasons.

As a result of the operation, the MANPADS of the Russian group of forces thwarted an attempt by the militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) to strike at units of the Armed Forces of Russia and created a reliable air shield in the Red Army area.

"The most important thing is not to miss the target, to capture it on time...> You need to be constantly vigilant, watching the monitor. <...> It happens even when you blink, and a dot appears, and only a trace of it remains," said Vitaly Valiulin, junior sergeant, senior operator of the Buk-M2.

It is noted that modern Buk-M2 complexes protect advanced positions from a wide range of aerial threats — aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and high-precision weapons, including Storm Shadow cruise missiles and ATACMS tactical missiles.

The fire control system is automated and allows you to instantly detect, recognize and track aerial targets at all altitudes and long distances. Round-the-clock support ensures the safety of the calculations and creates conditions for the work of ground units in conditions of widespread use of UAVs by the enemy. According to the agency, during the operation, the Buk-M2 calculations of the Center group of forces eliminated hundreds of air threats, including enemy aircraft.

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On December 15, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the liberation of the village of Peschanoe in the Dnipropetrovsk region creates conditions for further assault operations by the Russian army. As a result, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost more than 20 heavy hexacopters of the Baba Yaga type, as well as seven pieces of equipment. The liberation of the village of Peschanoe became known earlier that day.

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation liberated the village of Gerasimovka on December 17. In addition, Russian military personnel defeated the manpower and equipment of a mechanized assault brigade, three enemy assault regiments, and a defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Andreevka, Gavrilovka, Dnipropetrovsk region, Ternovatoe, Gulyai-Pole, and Kosovtsevo in the Zaporizhia region.

On December 19, the Russian Ministry of Defense published footage of the storming of the settlements of Peschanoe and Gerasimovka in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The main difficulties were the open terrain and the crossing of the river.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.