Air Defense (PVO) - Performance
The Moscow Garrison Military Court on 07 September 2023 placed Major General Konstantin Ogenka, who was in charge of air defense in Moscow, under pre-trial detention. The commander of the 4th Russian Air Defense Division was also detained. General Ogienko was accused of fraud related to military land in the Moscow region. Prior to his arrest, the general commanded the 1st Air and Missile Defense Army, which is responsible for protecting Moscow from attacks by aircraft, drones, cruise missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles. As part of the investigation, it turned out that General Ogienko received a bribe for the allocation of land for development from the head of the civilian organization "Nadezhda". The commander of the 4th Air Defense Division, General Dmitry Bielacki partially admitted his guilt and asked for a cooperation agreement with him.
On 24 January 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the Russian air defense system one of the best in the world. "Practical combat work has shown that Russia's air defense is one of the best in the world," Russian state news agency TASS quoted Putin as saying during a meeting with the governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov.
The Russian leader also noted that his country produces three times more missiles, similar to those used in the American Patriot systems. Putin did not comment on the alleged drone strikes on Russian military airfields deep in the rear. Also, the Russian leader did not comment on the purpose and expediency of installing Pantsir-S1 complexes on the roofs of Moscow buildings and near state residences in various regions of Russia.
The air defense system that was advertised for decades was those that "have no analogues in the world". Because many people bought precisely their air defense systems from countries around the world: Turkey, China, Greece. They ordered the S-300, S-400, and the S-1 armor. We are talking about billions of dollars here. It turns out that that they were spent on insufficiently effective defense, and the tactical and technical characteristics of Russian weapons do not correspond to reality.
All air defense systems of the Russian Federation are modernized, but from Soviet times. When you develop any new air defense system, you have to test it. And if you conduct tests, then you need to destroy some aerial objects, you need to destroy missiles. And what missiles do they have, except Soviet ones? They don't really know how their air defense works against Western weapons, against modern weapons produced by countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. Our weapon, for example, the P-360, which destroyed the cruiser "Moscow" is a modern Ukrainian missile, against which their air defense system was pitiful.
A military expert, reserve colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Vladyslav Seleznyov in March 2023, assessing the possible consequences for the occupiers after a high-profile strike by drones on an echelon with Calibra, expressed the opinion that the successful Ukrainian drone attack on the railway junction in Dzhankoy, in addition to the direct destruction of the Kalibr NK cruise missiles, once again destroyed several myths of the Russian propaganda _ In particular, about the fact that " Crimea is an absolutely safe region for the occupiers ", that " the air defense system of Russia in the ARC is allegedly extremely powerful" , about the fact that " Ukrainian drones attack civilian infrastructure " and others.
Russian air defense troops in the field confirmed in January 2023 that their Pantsir platforms had been outfitted with a new thermal imager and software update to dramatically increase the interception rate of HIMARS rockets. In early July 2023, a senior executive from Russian technology giant Rostec said the effectiveness of upgraded Pantsir missile/gun systems had reached "100 percent" effectiveness against HIMARS rockets on the battlefield in some cases. "Any weapon is modernized and improved based on the results of its combat employment. This is a continuous process. For example, after the enemy received HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, specialists at High Precision Systems upgraded the Pantsir to intercept these rockets. Today we see examples of HIMARS strikes successfully countered by our surface-to-air missile/gun system. There are precedents when all 12 rockets launched from an American MLRS were shot down," the official said.
The first Ukrainian drone raid on Moscow took place on the night of 03 May 2023, when, according to Russian authorities, two unmanned aerial vehicles attacked the Kremlin. The next one was recorded on May 30. Then part of the drones were shot down when approaching the city, but at least three UAVs caused damage to residential buildings in the south of Moscow. On July 24, the drones flew to the capital once again. As a result of the incident, fragments of the exploded UAV hit two non-residential buildings, no one was injured.
Retired military intelligence officer and military analyst Anatoliy Matviychuk said 17 July 2023 there was ample evidence showing that Russian forces were taking advantage of the analysis of captured NATO equipment, particularly in the field of missiles. "The HIMARS we’ve captured were once able to evade our Pantsir air defense systems quite well. Not anymore. We have found their weak spot, found their control system’s frequencies, and our air defenses systems now destroy them superbly. As for the Storm Shadow missile we’ve captured, we also see now in reports from the Defense Ministry that nearly 90 percent of these missiles are shot out of the skies by our air defense systems," the observer said.
Putin admitted 14 June 2023 that Russian air defense almost does not see Ukrainian drones. Ukrainian military carried out several successful operations on the territory of Russia, attacking Russian objects with drones. It turned out that the Russian air defense system was leaky and could not counter them even near Moscow.
The Russian air defense system almost does not detect Ukrainian drones, because they are "made of light materials." According to Putin , their air defense system was not ready for this, because it works only against large targets: " Ours are learning to fight with them. It is not easy, but the task is set. Perhaps we need an adjustment. Because our traditional air defense system is configured for large targets - missiles and aircraft. Ukrainian drones are made of modern and light materials. Made of wood. They are very difficult to detect. But we try. Now we are setting up the defense of Moscow and other cities."
The United States considers Western aircraft to be ineffective in the conflict in Ukraine due to Russian air defense (AD) systems. This was reported by The Washington Post on 18 July 2023, citing sources in the US administration. The United States believes that "Western aircraft will not be of much use in the current hostilities due to Russia's powerful air defense system." According to the source of the newspaper, now the question of "combined arms approach" is relevant, which implies the joint work of various branches of the armed forces.
Military expert Viktor Litovkin doubted that it is possible to make the EW and air defense lane on the way to Moscow impenetrable. “It means exposing other directions. We do not, apparently, have such a number of complexes to cover absolutely everything with them. You cannot put up an impenetrable fence of electronic warfare and air defense systems along the entire border, ” Litovkin explained in a conversation with NEWS.ru.
On 30 August 2023, it became known that tests of a laser complex designed to combat UAVs were completed in Russia. Testing was successful - he hit several drones of various types. It is noted that the laser gun demonstrated high efficiency in the near zone - during the tests, physical damage was inflicted on targets, the beam burned through the body of the UAV along with on-board equipment.
Denis Fedutinov explained to NEWS.ru that this direction is very promising. “Take into account the fact that kinetic means of combating drones are quite expensive to use, and UAVs can adapt to electronic countermeasures. However, laser systems also have their drawbacks. A high energy power supply is required. There are limitations associated with the conditions of the application environment, ”Fedutinov said.
Russia's defence ministry said 01 September 2023 it had destroyed a total of 281 Ukrainian drones over the past week, including 29 over the western regions of Russia, indicating the scale of the drone war now under way between Russia and Ukraine. The 281 destroyed Ukrainian drones included “one Tu-141 Strizh, as well as 29 Ukrainian UAVs in the western regions of the Russian Federation," the ministry said.
Russia for its part has repeatedly struck Ukraine with waves of one-way drones with explosive payloads, which are far cheaper than missiles and can be difficult, and expensive, for air defence systems to intercept. Ukrainian aerial drone strikes deep inside Russia have increased since two drones were destroyed over the Kremlin in early May. Drone strikes on the Russian capital have become increasingly common in recent months.
Russia’s air defense can’t cope with Ukrainian strikes using Western-made cruise missiles, spokesman of Ukraine’s Air Force said on 24 September 2023. “We’ve received weapons we had been waiting for so much. These are cruise missiles. The enemy can’t shoot down these missiles despite having great anti-aircraft defense there, which have ‘no analogues’,” Yuriy Ihnat said as cited by state news agency Ukrinform. He added: “Presumably, they do down some of them but, as we can see, our missiles penetrate their defenses, and Crimea, which is heavily armed with air defense systems, cannot cope with Western-made cruise missiles.” According to him, that is why Ukraine expects more such missiles from the West – specifically German, French, and British ones.
Ihnat said: “And the American ATACMS are already ballistic missiles – they will help us significantly change the situation at the front. And with the arrival of Western-made warplanes, it will be a completely different story.”
The A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft has played a key role in Russia's air defense systems destroying Ukrainian warplanes, Yury Knutov, Russian military historian and political commentator, told Sputnik 25 October 2023. The Russian army now possesses air defense missile systems that have shot down a total of 24 Ukrainian jets in five days, the country’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated. All these warplanes had probably been downed by the long-range S-400 air defense system, Knutov maintained, recalling that the Russian Defense Ministry is yet to confirm the information on the type of air defenses.
He also suggested that the Russian military could use the S-300 system in tandem with the Beriev A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft to destroy Ukrainian planes. “So, thanks to their ability of flying at a high altitude, the A50s can detect enemy aircraft that take off from closed or clandestine Ukrainian military airfields, or even from sections of highways,” Knutov explained.
As for the S-300 missile interceptor, it “reaches a certain area thanks to either an inertial guidance system or commands that are sent directly from the multifunctional radar station of the A50 aircraft,” according to him. “This, along with the use of the A-50 planes, allows us to resolve the problem of not only detecting enemy aircraft, but also destroying it with high efficiency,” Knutov underlined. He added that “this is something that will in turn force NATO countries to muse about whether Ukraine really needs [the US-made] F-16 aircraft, which may face the same fate as the Soviet-made Su-27 and MiG-29 fighter jets of the Ukrainian Air Force,” Knutov said apparently referring to the Russian Defense Ministry’s recent information about the downed Ukrainian Su-27s and MiG-29s in the special military operation zone.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are actively “hunting” Russian air defense systems in the occupied territories, especially in Crimea. Kyiv is preparing for increased use of tactical weapons such as ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles, as well as the deployment of F-16 fighter jets. This opinion was expressed 27 April 2024 on the FREEDOM TV channel by the head of the Center for Military Legal Research, Alexander Musienko.
“The strike in Dzhankoy on April 17 was extremely effective. We saw the results: the S-400 systems were destroyed. I think that the blow is, let’s say, the beginning of something bigger. Because the S-400 systems are the “gateway” to the northern part of the occupied Crimea. Therefore, the goal was not just to destroy the S-400, but something much more: to clear the way for further attacks,” he said.
As the expert noted, it has not been confirmed that the attack on the airport was carried out using ATACMS missiles. “But, nevertheless, I can state that this is the opening of the road for flights of the same ATACMS. These were preparatory measures, obviously in order to clear the way for further attacks on Russian military targets in Crimea,” he believes. The blow itself in terms of destruction and scale was “quite weighty,” Musienko emphasized.
“I can say that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are actively hunting for Russian air defense systems in the occupied territories, and are also having success in this: they are hitting both radars and launchers. This is just preparation for the further use of both ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles, and, I think, for the deployment of the F-16. All the actions of the Ukrainian forces indicate that aircraft are also a matter of the near future,” summarized Alexander Musienko.
WarTranslated (Dmitri) reported that Russian bloggers accuse the Ministry of Defense of lying about the downed Ukrainian drones. In general, accusing each other of lying is now a favorite pastime of Russian bloggers and military personnel.
One type of senseless and obvious lie is the statement about the downing of enemy drones, "as a result of falling debris, a fire broke out at an oil depot." If there was a fire at an oil depot, it means the drone hit it. Even if it was shot down. The drone is considered destroyed if it does not reach the target and does not cause damage. And if it flew and a fire broke out at the facility, it means that it was shot at an oil depot and it completed the task.
Perhaps the authors of such lies justify themselves by saying that they do not want to please the enemy with the fact that his attack was effective. But in this case, there is no need to disseminate footage of a burning oil depot. However, this is unlikely to help - the Western hosts will please them with pictures from their satellites. The UAV was either shot down and did not cause damage to the facility, or it was not shot down and a fire broke out at the oil depot. Everything else is hokum of the type: Russia launched 10 missiles, we shot down all 10, there are 11 fires on the ground. Because they also hit a residential building with their air defense missile. A Russian milblogger wrote "everyone laughs at them. Why are you repeating after them? Why do you want to be ridiculed? Are you clowns?""
- The drone attack on September 1, 2024, was the largest since the beginning of the Second World War: the Russian Defense Ministry reported the destruction of 158 aircraft-type UAVs in 15 regions.
- On June 21, 2024, it was reported that 114 UAVs were destroyed in the skies over four regions of the Russian Federation and another six unmanned boats in the Black Sea. 70 drones were intercepted over the territory of Crimea and the Black Sea, another 43 in the skies over the Krasnodar Territory.
- On August 14, 2024, the Ministry of Defense reported the destruction of 117 drones and four missiles over eight Russian regions. 37 UAVs and four missiles were shot down over the Kursk region, and another 37 drones were destroyed over the Voronezh region.
- On May 17, 2024 , the Ministry of Defense reported the destruction of 101 UAVs and six more naval drones in five regions. 50 objects were destroyed in the skies over Crimea, and another 44 were shot down in Krasnodar Krai. As a result of the attack, according to authorities, fires occurred on the territory of three oil companies in Novorossiysk and an oil refinery in Tuapse.
- On July 22, 2024 , the Ministry of Defense announced the destruction of 78 UAVs over five regions of the Russian Federation, as well as over the Black and Azov Seas. Most of the drones - 47 units - were shot down over the Rostov Region.
- On August 9, 2024 , the Ministry of Defense reported the destruction of 75 drones. At that time, attacks were recorded in eight Russian regions. 26 drones were shot down in the skies over the Belgorod Region, 19 over the Lipetsk Region.
- On April 27, 2024, the Ministry of Defense reported the destruction of 68 UAVs, 66 of which were shot down over the Krasnodar Territory. Three oil refineries were attacked.
- On March 13, 2024, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the destruction of 65 drones over six regions of the Russian Federation. The targets of the attacks, in particular, were oil refineries in the Leningrad, Rostov and Ryazan regions, as well as the FSB building in the Belgorod region.
Russian air defense most likely caused the crash of an Embraer 190 passenger plane during UAV attack on Chechnya. An Embraer 190 passenger plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines crashed 25 December 2024. A total of 67 passengers of which 5 crew members were on board. 32 people survived the crash. All survivors were in the tail section of the plane. The tail section of the plane survived the crash and witnesses were able to capture on videos damage on the tail that is typical of fragments from air defense missiles.
The pilots attempted to land at Grozny two times in the fog and failed. On the third attempt, passengers heard an explosion after which one stated that "the (plane's) skin next to me flew off." The crew was not allowed to land in Grozny several times, then GPS failed. And when the plane decided to fly to Baku, the pilot reported a strong "impact". All the videos of the Azerbaijan Airlines flight showing the damage show holes in the wreckage have entry holes on the port side and exit holes on the starboard side, likely with a slight angle from below.
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