Russian Air Defenses Are So Depleted They’re Using 1960s Systems, Ukraine’s Drone Chief Says

Russia is increasingly relying on decades-old Soviet air defense systems as shortages of modern equipment grow, according to Robert Brovdi, the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda on May 13.

He said Russian troops are now deploying antiquated air defense assets dating back more than half a century.

As one example, Brovdi described the recent destruction of an air defense system that he claimed had originally been removed from a Russian warship before being redeployed to the Donetsk region, roughly 122 kilometers from the front line.

“It’s funny, but it says a lot,” Brovdi remarked. “They don’t have enough systems, so they use everything available.”

According to him, Russian forces have also begun using radar stations first fielded during the Soviet era in the 1960s.

“I posted a video yesterday showing one of those radars being destroyed,” he said. “It’s mounted on such an exotic truck that I barely even recognize it anymore. You don’t see vehicles like that even in Kyiv—they disappeared decades ago. These are old Soviet trucks from the 1960s.”

Brovdi stated Ukrainian forces have destroyed 134 Russian air defense systems since the start of 2026, part of what he described as a broader campaign to weaken Russia’s ability to defend rear-area infrastructure and military sites from drone attacks.

“We are genuinely exhausting their air defense capabilities, and that opens completely different opportunities for deep strikes,” he said.

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War in Ukraine

Ukraine Doubles Russian Air Defense Losses as Drone Strikes Reshape Battlefield Balance

May 13, 2026 20:39

According to the Ukrainian commander, degrading Russian air defenses has allowed Ukrainian drones to penetrate deeper into Russian-controlled territory and strike military facilities, energy infrastructure, and defense-industrial sites.

Earlier, Ukrainian operators from the Unmanned Systems Forces struck multiple Russian military targets in occupied parts of the Donetsk region, including a PRV-16 radar height finder, a P-18 early warning radar, ammunition depots, and fuel storage facilities.

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