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Ukraine’s SBU Chief Says Nearly Half of Russia’s Best Air Defense Systems Are Gone

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Photo of Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
News Writer
Russian Army “Pantsir-S1” air defense system with anti-FPV slat armor operating in Ukraine, March 2024. (Photo: open source)
Russian Army “Pantsir-S1” air defense system with anti-FPV slat armor operating in Ukraine, March 2024. (Photo: open source)

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) chief Vasyl Malyuk has revealed new details about the state of Russia’s air defenses, saying nearly half of all Pantsir-S1 systems have been destroyed since the beginning of 2025, Ukrainian media outlet Unian reported on October 31.

Malyuk made the remarks during a joint briefing with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling the Pantsir “the most effective” Russian air defense system currently in use against Ukrainian drones.

“The Pantsir systems are the most effective against our drones. Since the start of 2025, we have destroyed 48% of them,” Malyuk said.

He noted that Russia manufactures roughly 30 Pantsir systems each year but that Ukraine’s confirmed losses inflicted on these platforms already exceed that number. “We continue to work on this and will share the results later,” he added.

The Pantsir-S1 (NATO reporting name: SA-22 Greyhound) is a short-to-medium-range air defense system designed to engage a wide range of aerial threats—including drones, helicopters, low-flying aircraft, and cruise missiles.

It combines twin 30mm autocannons with a set of 12 ready-to-launch 57E6 surface-to-air missiles, supported by a radar-optical targeting suite that allows it to simultaneously track and intercept multiple targets within a 20-kilometer radius and at altitudes up to 15 kilometers.x

The system has been a cornerstone of Russia’s layered air defense network, frequently deployed to protect strategic military sites and logistics hubs deep behind the front lines.

Malyuk’s comments mark the first time Ukrainian officials have disclosed specific destruction figures for the Pantsir fleet—one of Russia’s most valuable and widely deployed point-defense systems.

Earlier, SBU strike drones executed a successful operation on the night of October 29, targeting key Russian military and infrastructure sites across temporarily occupied Crimea.

By morning, the Russians were reportedly missing a Pantsir-S2 anti-aircraft missile system, a crucial element of their air defense valued at about $20 million. The adversary also lost two radar stations. The elimination or disabling of these air defense components severely degrades Russia’s defensive posture in the Crimean direction.

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