2014 Russia-Ukraine War

9S36M radar in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War

Russian 9S36M Buk-M3 fire-control radars are documented in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War through visually confirmed loss records and Ukrainian strike reporting.

Weapon profile9S36M radar
SideRussiaRoleAir DefenseTargeting SupportReconnaissance & Surveillance
9S36M radar, Tracked illumination, guidance, and target-designation radar, Air Defense - 2014 Russia-Ukraine War
Image source: File:9S36M Armia-2018.jpg

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
Russian forces fielded 9S36M radars for Buk-M3 during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.

Sources: Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine, WarSpotting 9S36M Loss Entry

A Russian 9S36M fire-control radar for 9K317M Buk-M3 was visually recorded as destroyed in Kakhovka raion on 29 August 2023.

Sources: WarSpotting 9S36M Loss Entry

Ukrainian reporting attributed a December 2025 occupied-Crimea strike to Defence Intelligence of Ukraine and listed an RPN 9S36M radar from a Buk-M3 system among the hit assets.

Sources: Ukraine Destroys Russian Air Defence Assets in Crimea, Russian S-300V and Buk-M3 Air Defense Components Hit in Crimea

The 9S36M's documented role in this conflict is air-defense radar support, including target illumination, missile guidance, and target-designation functions for Buk-M3.

Sources: Viking - Rosoboronexport, 9K317M Buk-M3 - Missilery.info, Russian S-300V and Buk-M3 Air Defense Components Hit in Crimea

Timeline

9S36M radar In 2014 Russia-Ukraine War

  1. Destroyed 9S36M recorded in Kakhovka raion

    WarSpotting lists a Russian 9S36M fire-control radar for a 9K317M Buk-M3 as destroyed in Kakhovka raion.

    Sources: WarSpotting 9S36M Loss Entry

  2. Crimea strike reporting names RPN 9S36M

    Ukrainska Pravda reported Defence Intelligence of Ukraine claims that a Prymary unit destroyed an RPN 9S36M radar from a Russian Buk-M3 system in occupied Crimea.

    Sources: Ukraine Destroys Russian Air Defence Assets in Crimea, Russian S-300V and Buk-M3 Air Defense Components Hit in Crimea

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

The 9S36M appears in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War as a Russian Buk-M3 radar component rather than as a stand-alone weapon. Oryx lists five Russian 9S36M radars for Buk-M3 among visually documented Russian equipment losses in the invasion of Ukraine, all recorded as destroyed.

WarSpotting provides a dated visual record for one of those losses, identifying a Russian 9S36M fire-control radar for a 9K317M Buk-M3 as destroyed in Kakhovka raion on 29 August 2023. Later Ukrainian and defense reporting documented additional strikes on RPN 9S36M radar vehicles tied to Russian Buk-M3 air-defense systems.

Sources: Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine, WarSpotting 9S36M Loss Entry, Ukraine Destroys Russian Air Defence Assets in Crimea, Russian S-300V and Buk-M3 Air Defense Components Hit in Crimea

Timeline

The public record begins with a visually confirmed 2023 Russian loss in southern Ukraine and continues with later reports of Ukrainian strikes against Buk-M3 radar components. The strongest dated entry is the WarSpotting record for Kakhovka raion; the later Crimea record is attributed to Ukraine's Defence Intelligence through Ukrainian reporting.

Sources: WarSpotting 9S36M Loss Entry, Ukraine Destroys Russian Air Defence Assets in Crimea, Russian S-300V and Buk-M3 Air Defense Components Hit in Crimea

Narrative

Within Russian Buk-M3 batteries, the 9S36M is an illumination, guidance, and target-designation radar. That role explains why loss records identify it separately from launchers: disabling the radar affects the battery's ability to illuminate targets and support missile guidance for Buk-M3 engagements.

The documented Ukraine-war use is therefore best described as Russian air-defense and targeting-support deployment. The sources do not show Ukrainian operation of the 9S36M; they document Russian fielding through losses and strikes against Russian Buk-M3 radar vehicles in Ukrainian theaters including Kakhovka raion and occupied Crimea.

Ukrainian reporting in December 2025 described Defence Intelligence strikes on several Russian air-defense assets in occupied Crimea, including a Redut-221 command-and-control vehicle and an RPN 9S36M radar from a Buk-M3 system. Defense Express separately described the same 9S36M as a Buk-M3 fire-control radar responsible for target illumination and missile guidance.

Sources: Viking - Rosoboronexport, 9K317M Buk-M3 - Missilery.info, Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine, Ukraine Destroys Russian Air Defence Assets in Crimea, Russian S-300V and Buk-M3 Air Defense Components Hit in Crimea

Videos

9S36M radar In 2014 Russia-Ukraine War

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Sources