Drone Strike Destroys Russian Bastion System in Crimea En Route to Launch Zircon Missiles

A Ukrainian strike drone in Crimea hit a launcher capable of firing Russian hypersonic Zircon missiles.

The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine released a video of the operation.

On the night of March 24, operators from the DIU’s Unmanned Systems Department tracked a convoy of Bastion systems in Crimea moving toward positions.

“As a result of precise strikes by reconnaissance units, one launcher and two Zircon missiles were destroyed, and another Bastion was damaged,” the DIU reported.

Seven Russian service members were killed or injured, according to the report. The General Staff of Ukraine said the strike occurred near the settlement of Aktachy (known as Furmanovka until 2023). Analysts from the CARTOGRAPH ZSU group also confirmed the location.

“This night, the aggressor’s plans to attack peaceful cities were thwarted,” the DIU shared.

The 3M22 Zircon missile is designed to be launched from the 3S14 universal ship-based vertical launcher.

The first drone struck near the self-propelled launcher, while the second made a direct hit, triggering a detonation and the unintended launch of a missile.

Bastion and Zircon

However, upgrades to the Bastion missile system have also enabled it to launch Zircon missiles.

Originally, the Bastion system was designed to destroy surface ships of various classes, including those in landing formations, convoys, naval and carrier strike groups, as well as individual ships and ground radar-contrast targets under conditions of heavy fire and electronic countermeasures.

The system is also a carrier of the Onyx missile. Since the start of the war against Ukraine, Russia has used this coastal defense system to strike ground targets on Ukrainian territory.

The Bastion missile system is highly mobile: deployment from march to combat position takes about five minutes, with a similar time required to redeploy.