Kathrine Frich
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) says its forces have eliminated half of Russia’s stockpile of Pantsir air defence systems since the start of the year.
In a statement cited by the Kyiv Independent, the SBU said its Alpha special unit had targeted the systems as part of a broader campaign against Russian air defences.
Modern air defense
“Pantsir is one of Russia’s modern and key air defense systems. The cost of a single system ranges from $15 to $20 million. These anti-aircraft missile systems are the most effective in combating long-range Ukrainian drones,” the statement read.
The agency described the campaign as “systemic destruction” aimed at weakening Russia’s ability to repel long-range strikes.
Strategic target
According to the SBU, reducing the number of operational Pantsir systems makes Russian territory and occupied areas more vulnerable to Ukrainian attacks.
The service said the objective is to create openings for strikes on “military bases, warehouses, airfields and other occupied facilities.”
Ukraine has increasingly used long-range drones and missiles to hit infrastructure deep inside Russia, arguing that such operations are designed to undermine Moscow’s capacity to sustain the war.
Cost of damage
The SBU previously stated on January 19 that long-range operations carried out in 2025 had “destroyed or disabled” Russian air defence assets worth approximately $4 billion.
Individual Pantsir systems are estimated to cost between $15 million and $20 million, according to the Ukrainian statement.
Russia has not publicly responded to the latest claims. The figures could not be independently verified.
Sources: Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Kyiv Independent
