Russian forces are successfully using Buk-M3 air defense missile systems to intercept American-made HIMARS rockets operated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to a report by Military Watch Magazine (MWM).

The article followed a statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense claiming that a Buk-M3 crew had destroyed a HIMARS rocket at a range exceeding 30 kilometers.

MWM writes that Russian troops are effectively deploying the medium-range air defense system to counter strikes carried out by Ukrainian units using U.S.-supplied multiple launch rocket systems. According to the publication, the Buk-M3 has proven capable of shielding Russian positions from these attacks.

The magazine notes that the system was originally designed to accompany motorized infantry and armored formations on the battlefield. In Russia’s layered air defense structure, the Buk-M3 occupies a middle tier between long-range systems such as the S-400 and short-range platforms including the Pantsir-S and Tor-M2.

One of the system’s key advantages, the publication says, is the combination of extended interception range and high mobility. This allows the Buk-M3 to operate close to frontline ground forces directly in combat zones.