Latest news with #S-350Vityaz
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russians losing valuable equipment in Donetsk Oblast, reports Estonian intelligence
The Intelligence Centre of the Estonian Defence Forces has reported that hostilities on the front lines in Ukraine, as well as in Russia's Kursk Oblast, remain intense. However, Russian forces are struggling to advance and are sustaining losses, including valuable military equipment. Source: Colonel Ants Kiviselg, head of the Intelligence Centre of the Estonian Defence Forces, cited by ERR, an Estonian public broadcaster, as reported by European Pravda Details: Kiviselg noted that the main Russian assault is still concentrated on the Pokrovsk front in Donetsk Oblast. Quote: "Russian troops continue their offensive: they have reached the southern outskirts of Pokrovsk and have taken control of the village of Kotlyne, southwest of Pokrovsk." Details: On the Kurakhove front, Russian forces have captured the villages of Dachne and Ulakly, and their next likely target is the village of Kostiantynopil. There is a risk of Ukrainian units being encircled in this area, but the presence of the Vovcha River to the north of the potential "cauldron" serves as a natural defensive barrier, he added. Kiviselg emphasised that Russian advances have been slow, with an average territorial gain of just one sq km per day in February, at the cost of losing valuable equipment. Ukrainian forces have reportedly destroyed a Russian S-350 Vityaz air defence system and, for the first time, a TOS-2 heavy flamethrower system. Both were neutralised in Donetsk. Kiviselg estimates that Russian forces appear to be facing issues with artillery supply and deployment. Quote: "There are reports that Russia is expecting new deliveries of 122 mm and 152 mm artillery ammunition from North Korea, as well as various types of missiles." More details: Kiviselg added that Russia's reliance on ammunition supplies, personnel transfers and equipment from North Korea and other allied countries indicates a significant dependence on external support, despite Russian efforts to present a different narrative. Background: UK intelligence previously highlighted data from the Russian independent outlet Verstka, which reported that Russian military command is pressuring men mobilised in 2022 to sign contracts with the Defence Ministry. Additionally, the Estonian Defence Forces' Intelligence Centre estimated that in January 2025, Russia lost 100 soldiers for every sq km of Ukrainian territory it occupied. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
Ukrainian border guards destroy Russian equipment and kill infantrymen in Kharkiv Oblast
Soldiers of the Ukrainian Hart Brigade have destroyed a Russian-made Strizh-3 electronic warfare system, damaged a Russian howitzer and killed Russian infantrymen on the Kharkiv front. Source: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Quote: "Servicemen of the State Border Guard Service within Ukraine's defence forces continue to perform combat missions to counter Russian occupation forces in the north of Kharkiv Oblast." Details: The border guards noted that as a result of the strikes, Ukrainian soldiers managed to hit a Russian howitzer, destroy a Strizh-3 electronic warfare system and three vehicles, and kill 17 soldiers. Background: It was reported on 17 February that reconnaissance men of the Chornyi Lis (Black Forest) Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade destroyed a Russian-made S-350 Vityaz, the latest short- and medium-range anti-aircraft missile system worth US$135 million, in Donetsk Oblast. On 18 February, operators of FPV drones of the 113th Brigade of the Territorial Defence Forces destroyed two Russian combat vehicles, hit one more vehicle and struck the Russians' shelters near the town of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast. It was also reported that the Ukrainian unit killed some of the Russian soldiers who were near the scenes of the strikes. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine Appears To Have Destroyed Its First Russian S-350 Air Defense System
Ukraine appears to have destroyed the first example of Russia's S-350 Vityaz ground-based air defense system since the start of the Kremlin's full-scale invasion. The S-350 is one of Russia's most advanced surface-to-air missile systems and has previously only been rarely seen deployed in the conflict. A surveillance drone video released by a Ukrainian Armed Forces artillery reconnaissance brigade, named Chornyi Lis (Black Forest), shows the demise of the S-350 transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicle, purportedly in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. The video shows a column of Russian vehicles alongside a tree line, before showing the moment of impact on the isolated TEL — the cluster of launch tubes in the upright position, ready to fire means it's not easily confused with any other Russian system. Meanwhile, the explosion and subsequent shockwave are broadly consistent with that of a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, although this is just one possibility. The date of the engagement is not specified, but the presence of plenty of green foliage suggests it could pre-date this winter.A video appeared online that reportedly shows the result of a HIMARS strike on a S-300/S-400 complex in Belgorod region of Russia.I've added a picture in the end of the video. I think it adds a little something. — Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) June 3, 2024 'Thanks to the skilled actions of the reconnaissance troops of the Chornyi Lis artillery reconnaissance brigade, we were able to detect and destroy the latest Russian S-350 Vityaz medium- and short-range surface-to-air missile system,' the unit stated. As we have discussed in the past, the S-350 system — developed by the Almaz-Antey company — is made up of different mobile components, including the 50P6 TELs and the very similar 50P6T launcher/loader vehicle, as well as the 50N6A passively electronically scanned array radar, and the 50K6A command post. The primary missiles fired by the S-350 are from the 9M96 series which can also be used by the long-range S-400 air defense system. The basic 9M96 has a range of only around 18 miles, while the extended-range 9M96D can reach targets at 75 miles, with unconfirmed reports suggesting it could perhaps have a range as far as 90 miles. Each of the 50P6 series launchers can carry 12 of the 9M96 series missiles. Shorter-range 9M100 missiles are also planned to be integrated, these being intended for point defense out to a range of between around six and nine miles. Expected to be carried in much larger numbers on each launch vehicle, it is unclear if these have actually been fielded yet. The S-350, which reportedly began serial production in 2019, and entered service in early 2020, is designed to tackle aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles, as well as ballistic missile targets in limited situations. Reportedly, the S-350 can detect and track up to 40 targets simultaneously while engaging eight of them with two missiles per target. The S-350 was developed with a view to replacing the Cold War-era S-300P series system, an aging weapon that has been employed by Ukraine and Russia in the current conflict. While sharing a high-mobility wheeled chassis like the S-300, the S-350 is altogether more versatile. With the ability to fire missiles optimized for long/medium-range engagements as well as for point defense — at least in its definitive form — the S-350 can cover the same kind of target sets as the S-300 and the Pantsir short-range air defense system (SHORADS). In a previous interview with TWZ, Dmitry Stefanovich, a Research Fellow at the Center for International Security, IMEMO RAS, provided his assessment of the advantages offered by the S-350: 'Their main asset is the increased number of relatively simpler missiles per launcher, which makes it a good tool against salvo strikes of adversary precision weapons, including cruise missiles, UAVs, and guided MLRS rounds, as well as ballistic missiles,' he explained. 'However, there are too few S-350s available due to their somewhat delayed entry into service. Probably the priorities will be shifted now, but in any case, the S-350 has its role in countering adversary precision weapons under any scenario.' As we reported at the time, the S-350 appears to have made its first appearance in the war in Ukraine when evidence emerged of deployment at an airbase less than 40 miles from the Ukrainian border in August 2022. Elements of an S-350 system were seen in an official Russian Ministry of Defense video depicting operations by Su-25 Frogfoot attack aircraft at Taganrog Air Base, near the port city of the same name in the Rostov region of western Russia. Stills from a new Russia MoD video on Su-25 operations against Ukraine. Several elements of a S-350 SAM system can be seen in the background, including a 50N6A fire-control radar, 96L6-TsP acquisition radar, & 2 launchers: 50P6 TEL(s) and/or 50P6T LLV(s). — Guy Plopsky (@GuyPlopsky) August 14, 2022 It remains possible that the S-350 was deployed at Taganrog Air Base during some kind of combat trials. However, by early 2024, there was evidence that the S-350 was also being used on the battlefield within Ukraine's borders. In February 2024, a video emerged showing a knocked-out 50P6 TEL, which is said to have accidentally been driven into a Russian minefield. The level of damage meant that its crew abandoned it, in an incident that reportedly occurred in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine. Luhansk Oblast, a Russian 50P6E TEL from an S-350 SAM system accidentally drove into a Russian minefield, hitting a mine. The vehicle was reportedly severely damaged, with Russian recovery crews unable to retrieve it due to the minefield. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 10, 2024 Employment of the S-350 on or close to the front lines is something that we had predicted when the system first appeared at Taganrog. The appearance of this very modern system reflects the continued challenge posed by Ukrainian drones, missiles and guided bombs — as well as crewed aircraft — over the battlefield, with the Russian Armed Forces still incapable of gaining air superiority nearly three years after the full-scale invasion was launched. Unlike the tracked S-300V and Buk series, for example — the older S-300P doesn't offer the same level of mobility when operating off-road, especially in the snow and mud of the Ukrainian winter. The S-350 is more mobile and better suited to frontline operations thank its predecessor. At the same time, there have been unverified reports from Ukraine suggesting that the S-350 has been pushed toward the front lines to make up for deficiencies in the Pantsir, which has also suffered notably heavy losses — at least 27 examples have been lost, according to the Oryx open-source tracking group. However, many more have likely been lost because Oryx only tabulates losses for which it has visual confirmation. With that in mind, anything that can further extend Russian air defense coverage — especially against drone and missile threats — is to be welcomed by the Russian Armed Forces. However, with the slow rate of S-350 production — almost certainly hampered by international sanctions — and the unclear status of the new 9M100 missiles, the impact that the system will have on the battlefield will likely be fairly limited, for now. Contact the author: thomas@
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukrainian soldiers destroy Russia's latest anti-aircraft missile worth US$135 million
Reconnaissance men of the Chornyi Lis (Black Forest) Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade have destroyed a Russian-made S-350 Vityaz, the latest short- and medium-range anti-aircraft missile system worth US$135 million, in Donetsk Oblast. Source: Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group on Telegram Quote: "Thanks to the skillful actions of the reconnaissance men of the Chornyi Lis (Black Forest) Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade, we have managed to detect and destroy Russia's latest short- and medium-range S-350 Vityaz anti-aircraft missile system." Details: As the military reported, this anti-aircraft missile system is the latest development of Russia's defence industry, and its cost is estimated to exceed US$130 million. The ArmyInform portal noted that the Vityaz is one of Russia's most advanced weapons. For reference: The S-350 Vityaz is a new-generation Russian medium-range air defence missile system developed by Almaz-Antey to replace the outdated S-300PS and Buk-M1-2 systems. Development began in 2007, and it was finalised and approved in 2020. The system is designed to protect administrative, industrial and military facilities from large-scale attacks by modern and advanced air attack weapons, including aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and tactical ballistic missiles. Background: On 31 December 2024, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine announced that its soldiers had, for the first time in the world, destroyed an air target using a Magura V5 surface drone. On 22 January 2025, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine shot down Russian satellite equipment in Russia's Kursk Oblast. In January, it became known that in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine fighters discovered and destroyed a Russian 1L122 Garmon radar station along with the Russian soldiers who were servicing and transporting it. Support UP or become our patron!
