Russia has started using reconfigured S-300 surface-to-air missile systems more frequently. Whereas previously they mostly targeted Mykolayiv and Kharkiv regions, now Zaporizhzhya has been added to this list, the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Strategic Communications Centre (StratCom) has said.
According to StratCom, this has to do with a shortage of missiles of the so-called tactical and operational-tactical level, meaning the Tochka-U and the Iskander operational-tactical missile system.
"A reconfigured S-300 missile is paradoxical. These missiles are either catastrophically ineffective or fairly accurate. It all depends on the presence of a targeting element, which could be a UAV or a gunner. If there is no guidance, it is as accurate as the Kh-22, and if there is guidance, it is as accurate as the Kalibr missile," StratCom explained.
Since in most cases there is no targeting at all, shelling of populated areas with such SAMs is more damaging - the missile has a huge number of damage agents.
"So, on the one hand, it demonstrates the extent to which the 'second' army in the world is exhausted. Think at least of the T-62 tanks, PT-76s, Kh-22 missiles and D-20 howitzers. On the other hand, they are looking for ways out of the situation and these ways are accompanied by primitive, limited in capability solutions of the occupiers, but no less terrifying in their danger to human lives," StratCom said.
On the night of 4 August, four enemy missiles (probably S-300 SAMs) were launched from Belgorod towards Kharkiv.
There were also missile hits in Zaporizhzhya and Zaporizhzhya District.