MOSCOW, May 5. /TASS/. A Buk-M3 surface-to-air missile system (SAM) crew of Russia’s Battlegroup Center has successfully intercepted a HIMARS multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) projectile from a distance of over 30 km, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"During combat duty, air surveillance posts and radar systems detected an aerial target. The data was promptly transmitted to the Buk-M3 unit's crew. The air defense gunners detected and locked on to the aerial target, based on its characteristics, identifying it as a HIMARS MLRS projectile. After promptly deciding to destroy the target, the Buk-M3 unit launched a surface-to-air guided missile, which hit the target at a distance of over 30 km," the statement reads.

Previously, the ministry repeatedly emphasized the effectiveness of the Buk-M3 air defense system. It noted that the system effectively covers all altitude levels and quickly responds to various types of threats. During the special military operation in Ukraine, Buk-M3 units have already destroyed numerous aerial targets, including Turkish-made Bayraktar attack UAVs, US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launcher projectiles, and modern cruise missiles.