Footage has been published of the Ukrainian army using the Soviet-made Kub air defense system. Working examples of this air defense system are now a rarity. Ukraine previously received 2K12M2 Kub-M2 air defense systems from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Kub air defense system was accepted into service by the USSR in 1967. Since the 1970s, the system has been upgraded several times to improve its jamming resistance and expand its engagement range. The stages of the Kub air defense system's modernization are shown on the screen. The final modification of the 2K12 began to enter service with the Soviet army in 1979. In 1982, production of the Kub air defense system ceased and it was replaced by the Buk air defense system.
The first combat use of the Kub air defense system, under the export designation "Kvadrat," occurred in October 1973. During the first three days of the war with Israel, Syrian air defenses using the Kvadrat SAM system shot down 49 F-4 Phantom aircraft and numerous A-4 Skyhawks. Despite its age, the Kub SAM system is still in service. In 2019, the Houthis used the Kvadrat SAM system to shoot down an MQ-9 Reaper UAV.
The Kub SAM system uses three 3M9 guided missiles with semi-active guidance. The 3M9 missiles weigh 630 kg, have a warhead of 57 kg, and fly at a speed of 600 m/s. The Kub SAM system is mounted on a GM-568 chassis and is powered by a V-6M engine producing 280 hp. It has a range of 300 km. The SAM system is ready for combat in 5 minutes. The Kub-M3 air defense system is capable of detecting air targets at a distance of up to 65 km, hitting them at a range of 25 km and at an altitude of up to 12,000 meters.