Ukrainian troops destroyed Pantsir-S1 SAM in the Donetsk region

25 June, 2024 Destroyed Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system in the Donetsk region. June 2024. Photo credits: Dosye_shpiona Telegram Channel

Ukrainian military destroyed a Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system in the Donetsk region with a missile strike. The Dosye_shpiona Telegram Channel released a photo of the system. According to the channel's authors, the Russian air defense system was hit by a Ukrainian HIMARS rocket system.

The close explosion of the guided projectile and the debris caused a fire on board the vehicle, which resulted in its burning. The crew of the combat vehicle survived. It is reported that a Russian air defense system was hit in the Donetsk region on June 15-20.

Destroyed Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system in the Donetsk region. June 2024. Photo credits: Dosye_shpiona Telegram Channel

According to the photos, the fire partially or completely burned out the radar system of the vehicle, the artillery part of the system, and the guides for anti-aircraft missiles burned down.

Given this, the vehicle can be considered completely destroyed. The two twin 30-mm automatic cannons of the system are pointed upward at a high angle, which may indicate an attempt to intercept the GMLRS missile on its approach to the Pantsir-S1 air defense system. Two weeks earlier, the Dosye_shpiona Telegram Channel published another video shot by the Russian military showing another destroyed system in the Luhansk region.

A Russian Pantsir-S1 of the 1st Special Purpose Air and Missile Defense Army was destroyed by a direct hit from a guided projectile launched by an M142 HIMARS rocket system. Significant losses of the Russian air defense systems from the work of Ukrainian rocket systems and attack drones led the Russian army to start using systems made to order from other countries.

In particular, the Russian Armed Forces were seen armed with Pantsir-S1E anti-aircraft missiles and gun systems in a simplified export modification intended for the Iraqi contract. In 2012, the Iraqi government signed a contract with Russia to supply 24 SAMs, with the possibility of resetting another 24 systems later. It is reported that in 2016, more than 20 systems were handed over to the customer, and in 2018, the country received a new batch, probably within the frame of additional orders.

This March, Militarnyi reported that Russia delayed the delivery of S-400 air defense systems to India due to its own needs related to the war in Ukraine.