Ukrainian drone hits moving Russian Tor anti-air system at night (video)

Russians lost at least 61 Tor SAM systems during the ongoing all-out war.

Dec 5, 2024 - 23:00

Ukrainian drone hits moving Russian Tor anti-air system at night (video)

ukrainian dropped munition hits moving russian tor anti-air system night (video) thermal camera footage drone captures strike tor-m2 sam zaporizhzhia 2024 screenshots forces ukraine's armed have successfully targeted air defense

Ukraine’s Armed Forces have successfully targeted a Russian Tor-M2 air defense system in southern Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Oblast using a drone-dropped munition, Militarnyi reports. The Unmanned Systems Forces command said drone pilots from the 412th Nemesis separate battalion identified and struck the Russian air defense unit during its nighttime movement through occupied territory.

The Russian air defense assets have been among Ukraine’s priority targets. The destruction of Russian anti-air systems paves the way for more effective Ukrainian drone and missile strikes, while also enabling greater operational use of Ukraine’s military aircraft on the battlefield.

The footage released on the Command’s Telegram channel shows the Russians Tor-M2 being hit by a free-falling munition deployed from a heavy multirotor bomber drone. Militarnyi reports that the dropped munition struck the system’s upper rotating section, which houses anti-aircraft missiles and radar equipment.

“However, thermal imaging footage from the drone makes it difficult to determine the extent of damage from the explosion, as the vehicle was not immediately destroyed. This Russian air defense complex likely requires repairs and will at least temporarily be unable to perform its functions within the occupation army,” Militarnyi wrote.

The Tor-M2 self-propelled launcher can operate autonomously, independently detecting and engaging aerial targets at distances up to 16 kilometers and altitudes up to 10 kilometers. The vehicle carries 16 anti-aircraft missiles vertically housed in a rotating launcher and operates with a crew of three.

Russian Tor systems have become common targets for Ukrainian strike capabilities, including tube and rocket artillery and various types of drones. During the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, the Russian forces have lost at least 61 Tor combat vehicles of various modifications through destruction, abandonment, capture, and damage, according to Oryx Blog.

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