Ukraine's Defense Forces released a video showing the work of Deep Strike drone units, which managed to destroy at least one launcher of the russian 9K720 Iskander operational-tactical missile system and also strike a storage site used by russian occupation forces.
According to the report, the targets were located on the temporarily occupied Crimean Peninsula. The destroyed launcher was deployed near the village of Vyshneve. russian forces had moved it to a launch area and concealed it in a tree line.
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Ukrainian SOF strike russian “Iskander” launchers preparing missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. Thread: pic.twitter.com/Q4mPK9jSBp— SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES OF UKRAINE (@SOF_UKR) March 14, 2026
The drones struck the launcher while it was loaded with missiles, as indicated by a secondary detonation of the ammunition. The footage also appears to show members of the launcher crew fleeing the site. It remains unclear whether russian personnel were killed in the strike.
At the same time, using intelligence provided by the local resistance movement, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces also struck a hangar in Crimea, this time in the settlement of Kurortne. According to available information, russian forces were storing additional launchers of the 9K720 Iskander there. However, based on the currently available footage, it is not yet possible to determine the scale of russian losses at that site.
In any case, the destruction of an Iskander launcher is a relatively rare event. Confirmed cases of such losses have been limited. One of the most notable incidents occurred in September last year, when six vehicles belonging to an Iskander missile unit were reportedly destroyed.
Since Ukraine's Special Operations Forces stated that the strike was carried out by Deep Strike drone units, this may indicate the use of the FP-1 long-range strike drone. However, the FP-2 long-range strike drone could also have been used with a reduced warhead. This drone reportedly has a range of up to 200 km with a 105 kg warhead. Recently, information also emerged about the development of an upgraded version carrying a 158 kg warhead.
Earlier, Defense Express reported that Raytheon had increased production by more than 50% at facilities manufacturing missiles capable of intercepting russian weapons such as the 9K720 Iskander, Kh-47M2 Kinzhal, and 3M22 Zircon.
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