Ukrainian Forces Claim Destruction of 17 Russian Air Defense Systems in 4 Days

Ukrainian commandos and drone operators working behind enemy lines destroyed 17 major Russian air defense systems in four days of strikes, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) stated.

In a Thursday, Aug. 28 announcement, the SBU credited special operators from Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, HUR, with carrying out the attacks. The strikes reportedly destroyed anti-aircraft missile launchers, radar stations, and electronic warfare systems in Crimea and along the southern front.

The SBU estimated the destroyed equipment’s value at more than $500 million if purchased by the Russian military, or up to $2.5 billion on the international market. The claimed losses included:

• four Tor-M1 short-range air defense systems, a light anti-aircraft missile launcher
• three Pantsir-S1 medium-range air defense systems, a gun+anti-aircraft missile launcher
• two S-300 long-range air defense systems, a heavy anti-aircraft missile launcher
• one Buk-M3 medium-range air defense system, a tactical anti-aircraft missile launcher
• a 50N6 radar from an S-350 air defense battery
• Kasta-2E2 and Podlyot radar stations
• a Zhitel electronic warfare system
• Nebo-SVU and Nebo-M long-range radar detection systems for airborne targets

There was no independent confirmation of the claims. On Friday, however, HUR released video showing a Ukrainian drone attacking a Russian S-400 target acquisition radar. HUR said the footage showed a successful Thursday strike in Russian-occupied Crimea.

The S-400 is the Russian military’s premier ground-based air defense system. Without a functional target acquisition radar, the system’s four-to-eight missile launchers are effectively unable to hit flying objects. HUR published video seeming to show a clear drone hit on the radar, but the video was not geolocated, nor was it clear the type of drone used in the attack.

The reported successes come as Ukraine expands its arsenal of long-range drones and reconnaissance platforms designed to strike deep behind Russian lines, including the newly delivered Shark-M reconnaissance drone.

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