Ukraine’s Drone Hunters Take Down S-400, Tor, Pantsir—and Hit Black Sea Ships

Ukrainian forces struck several Russian air-defense systems in southern Russia over August 8–9, including an S-400 long-range air-defense position in Gelendzhik, while also targeting three vessels in the Black Sea, according to Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces.

Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Robert Brovdi, known by the call sign “Madyar,” reported the strikes on August 9, saying Ukrainian drones targeted Russian air-defense and radar assets across the Krasnodar and Rostov regions.

The S-400 position in Gelendzhik, Krasnodar region, was attacked during the day on August 8. According to Brovdi, a launcher belonging to the system was destroyed in the strike.

Brovdi said the S-400 position had carried out six missile launches between 9:25 a.m. and 12:51 p.m. on August 8 before the site was hit. He also said Russia uses missiles from the S-400 system not only against aerial targets but for strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure and civilian sites.

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War in Ukraine

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Ukrainian drones also targeted four additional Russian air-defense assets overnight into August 9: a Tor surface-to-air missile system near Pudovyi in Russia’s Rostov region, a Pantsir-S1 air-defense system in Yeysk in the Krasnodar region, a Podlet-K1 radar near Holovativka, and a Kasta-2E2 radar near Latonove in the Rostov region.

The operation extended into the Black Sea, where Brovdi reported strikes against three vessels linked to Russia’s shadow fleet—one oil tanker and two bulk carriers. The extent of the damage to the ships was not immediately disclosed.

The S-400 Triumf forms a major part of Russia’s long-range air- and missile-defense network and is deployed to protect strategically important areas and military facilities.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Barracuda drone boats launched FPV drones from unmanned surface vessels to destroy Russian troop boats near occupied Zaliznyi Port in the Kherson region, disrupting a reported Russian troop rotation along the Black Sea coast.

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