File image.
The Russian military had destroyed a Ukrainian S-300 long-range air defense system on the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic, a spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on January 6.
The spokesman, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov, said that the air-defense system was destroyed a day earlier, before the Russian-declared ceasefire in Ukraine came into effect.
“A launcher and a radar station of the Ukrainian S-300 anti-aircraft missile system were destroyed in the areas of the settlements of Avdeevka and Rai-Aleksandrvka of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” he said.
Lt. Gen. Konashenkov didn’t specify the version of the S-300 system, or reveal how exactly it was destroyed by the Russian military. Usually, anti-radar missiles and loitering munitions are used in such operations.
Ukraine inherited dozens of S-300P, S-300PT, S-300PS and S-300V1 batteries after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Only 40% of Ukrainian S-300 batteries were in good condition prior to the outbreak of the conflict in Donbass in 2014. Afterword, several batteries were brought back to service.
Prior to the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine in February of 2022, the country had around 100 batteries from different types in service. Kiev also received a single S-300PMU battery from Slovakia in April of 2022.
Many of Ukraine’s S-300 systems have been destroyed, damaged or captured by the Russian military since the start of the special operation.
Ukraine’s air defense capabilities continue to deteriorate, despite massive support from the its allies. Kiev received several Wester-made air defense systems in the last few months, and is set to get more, including two MIM-104 Patriot long-range batteries from the United States and Germany.
Western systems will not likely solve Ukraine’s air defense problem. Russia is already attacking targets around Kiev, where many of the new systems are deployed, with missiles and drones on a regular basis.
