Direct proof of use
The 1B44-1 RPMK-1 Ulybka appears in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War through visually confirmed loss records and conflict reporting for both sides. Oryx lists one Russian 1B44-1 for the RPMK-1 Ulybka radiosonde weather radar as destroyed, and separately lists one Ukrainian 1B44-1 (RPMK-1) radiosonde weather radar as destroyed.
The War Zone reported on January 18, 2023 that a Russian Lancet apparently hit a Ukrainian 1B44-1 RPMK-1 weather radar, describing the system as equipment used to collect data for artillery, missiles, and military aviation. Ukrainian reporting in August 2024 also identified a Russian RPMK-1 Ulybka among equipment destroyed in the Tavria operational area.
Sources: Oryx Russian Equipment Losses, Oryx Ukrainian Equipment Losses, TWZ Ukrainian 1B44-1 Lancet Report, Focus Tavria Ulybka Report, Defense Express Ulybka Strike
Dated reports
The first dated public report in this record is the January 18, 2023 War Zone situation report, which linked a Lancet strike video to a Ukrainian 1B44-1 RPMK-1 weather radar. That report supports Ukrainian field use and identifies the radar's battlefield function as weather-data collection for fire and aviation calculations.
On August 21, 2024, Focus reported comments by Tavria operational-strategic group spokesperson Dmytro Lykhovii about Russian losses for August 19 in the Tavria area, singling out an RPMK-1 Ulybka as a rare radio-direction meteorological complex. Defense Express covered the same report and summarized the system's role as radiosonde observation used to generate trajectory-correction data for ballistic objects such as artillery and missiles.
Sources: TWZ Ukrainian 1B44-1 Lancet Report, Focus Tavria Ulybka Report, Defense Express Ulybka Strike
Operational role
The Ulybka is support equipment rather than a strike system. Rosoboronexport describes RPMK-1 as a radio-direction meteorological complex that releases radiosondes, tracks them in flight, processes atmospheric data, and transmits sounding results to users. Its 1B44-1 vehicle contains the main radio-technical apparatus, while the 1B44-2 power vehicle and 1B44-3 gas-cylinder trailer support the sounding mission.
In the Ukraine conflict sources, that meteorological role is tied to fire-control support rather than independent target engagement. The documented Russian and Ukrainian losses show the system present near the war, while the Tavria and War Zone reports explain why the equipment mattered to combat operations: it generated weather data relevant to artillery, missiles, and military aviation.
Sources: Rosoboronexport RPMK-1 Product Page, TWZ Ukrainian 1B44-1 Lancet Report, Focus Tavria Ulybka Report, Defense Express Ulybka Strike
