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IRIS-T breaks Ukrainian unit’s record in debut air defense operation, protecting Lviv

Par :Yuri Zoria

iris-t air defense system operated ukrainian forces ihor vyhovskyi anti-aircraft missile lviv brigade ukraine news reports

A Ukrainian air defense brigade used the newly delivered German IRIS-T air defense system to destroy seven Russian cruise missiles during its first operational engagement by the unit, Militarnyi reported on 13 June. The Lviv-based anti-aircraft missile brigade achieved a new record during the battle, surpassing its previous results under Soviet-era systems.

The sources do not specify when or where the engagement took place, but given the brigade’s location and recent Russian air attacks, it was likely on 6 June, when a combined drone and missile assault targeted Ternopil, Lutsk, Kyiv, and Lviv—where Lviv local authorities reported that all threats were successfully neutralized.

Brigade intercepts every target with German system

According to the brigade’s commander Vitalii, the unit intercepted seven Russian cruise missiles during a large-scale missile and aviation assault.

“While repelling the massive missile and air strike, seven Russian cruise missiles entered our kill zone. We destroyed them one by one,” he said.

This marked the first combat use of IRIS-T by the brigade, and the results immediately exceeded their past performance. 

S-300 replaced after years of reliable use

Before receiving IRIS-T, the brigade relied primarily on the Soviet-era S-300 complex. The commander emphasized that their previous maximum had been five targets in a single engagement when using the S-300.

“We worked well with the three-hundred. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, we destroyed 55 enemy cruise missiles and drones,” said Vitaliy. Still, the new system brought an instant improvement, with the seven-missile battle setting a fresh benchmark.

IRIS-T earns confidence of Ukrainian defenders

Vitalii noted that the IRIS-T system had already earned trust within the brigade after its first successful engagement.

“This is a modern and precise system that has already won authority among our anti-aircraft forces,” he stated. “We are confident that with it we’ll surpass our previous result of 55 downed targets.”

The brigade regards this first success not as a peak, but as the start of a new chapter. According to Militarnyi, the air defense personnel are determined to keep building on the new tally.

IRIS-T designed for short-range precision defense

IRIS-T is a modern German short-range surface-to-air missile system built to protect ground forces near the front line. It is engineered to intercept enemy aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs. At its core is the IRIS-T missile, which uses an infrared homing head and has been adapted for ground launch. Target locking occurs during the final flight phase via the infrared seeker.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense signed a memorandum of understanding with IRIS missile manufacturer Diehl Defence in March. 

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