![Officially designated 2K12M2 Kub-M2, an image of the "Three Fingers of Death" was posted online showing the launcher is now in Ukraine.](https://san.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CLEAN-Ukraine-now-using-Three-Fingers-of-Death_Custom_featuredImage_Thu-Aug-31-2023.jpg?w=1920)
Ukraine using ‘Three Fingers of Death’ to swat Russia
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataTHE THREE FINGERS OF DEATH ARE ON TOUR IN UKRAINE. I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE SURVIVING MEMBERS OF THE WORLD’S MOST BRUTAL BAND– DETHKLOK. NO, THESE FINGERS OF DEATH BELONG TO AN AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM DESIGNED BY THE SOVIETS, UPGRADED BY THE CZECHS, AND NOW ON THE HUNT TO POKE RUSSIANS IN UKRAINE.
BACK IN MAY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC PROMISED UKRAINE THE LAUNCHERS, OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED 2K12M2 KUB-M2, OR KUB M-2 IF YOU PREFER. MY BOSS LIKES “CUB”, SO THAT’S WHAT WE’RE GOING WITH.
A RECENTLY POSTED IMAGE SHOWS THE KUB-M2 FINALLY IN SERVICE IN UKRAINE.
THE KUB LAUNCHER IS BASED ON A NEARLY 70 YEAR OLD SOVIET DESIGN. THE TRACKED VEHICLE FIRES THREE RATHER LARGE 3M9 SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES. A KUB BATTERY TYPICALLY INCLUDES FOUR LAUNCHERS, A RADAR VEHICLE AND TWO TRUCKS CARRYING SPARE MISSILES.
KUB LAUNCHERS UNDERWENT MULTIPLE UPGRADES OVER THE YEARS TO STAY RELEVANT, AND THEIR MOBILITY GIVES THEM AN EDGE OVER OTHER STATIC AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS.
RUSSIA SENDS A STEADY SUPPLY OF CRUISE MISSILES AND DRONES AGAINST UKRAINIAN TARGETS, AND MOST OF UKRAINE’S AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS ARE TIED UP PROTECTING CIVILIAN POPULATIONS. SINCE THE KUBS CAN MOVE, THEY CAN FOLLOW ADVANCING TROOPS AT THE FRONTLINES USING THEIR “FINGERS” TO SWAT AT RUSSIAN DRONES, CRUISE MISSILES AND OF COURSE HELICOPTERS AND JET FIGHTERS. YOU KNOW, LIKE THEY WERE ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO BACK WHEN ELVIS WAS STILL MAKING MOVIES.
THERE’S NO GETTING AROUND THE FACT THE KUB LAUNCHERS ARE DATED. BUT IF YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR WEAPONS SYSTEM, YOUR WEAPONS SYSTEM WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.
THE KUBS-M2 LAUNCHERS DONATED BY THE CZECHS INCLUDE GENERAL UPGRADES TO THE BODY AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS ADDED CREATURE COMFORTS LIKE AIR CONDITIONING.
THE CZECHS ALSO UPGRADED THE RADAR AND TRACKING SYSTEMS FOR THE KUB-M2, WHICH MEANS THE AGING STOCKPILES OF 3M9 MISSILES CAN KEEP FLYING FOR A WHILE LONGER.
IF, FOR WHATEVER REASON, UKRAINE RUNS OUT OF 3M9 SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES ALL IS NOT LOST. THE CZECHS ALREADY TEST FIRED WESTERN-MADE MISSILES FROM MODIFIED KUB LAUNCHERS. WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS HERE AND THERE, UKRAINE COULD USE U.S.-SUPPLIED SPARROW MISSILES TO GIVE RUSSIA THE FINGER, OR THREE FINGERS, OF DEATH.
FOR MORE UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING ABOUT WEAPONS OR THE WAR IN UKRAINE, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY, OR GO TO SAN.COM