The Citadel anti-aircraft artillery system destroyed a Flamingo cruise missile, expending only two 30-mm shells with remote detonation. According to Izvestia, the target was flying at an altitude of up to 100 m over the forest at a speed of more than 500 km/h. After being hit, the missile's warhead exploded in the air.
The radar station detected a low-flying target, and the crew chief made the decision to open fire. Two shots were enough for the interception. The remotely detonated shells exploded approximately one to one and a half meters from the missile, directing a stream of fragments into it.
The complex's ammunition load includes two belts of 150 shells each. Remote detonation allows hitting the target with fragments without a direct hit, which is especially important when firing at fast-moving objects. A 30-mm shell is powerful enough to tear apart a Gazelle minivan. After the missile was destroyed, its debris fell into the forest; there were no destructions or casualties.
The commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces air defense battalion with the call sign Spartak attributed the result to the crew's training and the capabilities of the new complex.
The Russian Citadel anti-aircraft artillery system is distinguished by increased effectiveness in combating drones due to a significant reduction in ammunition consumption compared to traditional air defense systems. Rostec explained this success by the introduction of an automated fire control system and the use of 30-mm shells with a controlled detonation function.
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