Russia's $15m 'Drone Killer' Air Defense System Blown Up in Kherson: Video

Ukrainian forces have destroyed an advanced Russian air defense system in the contested southern Kherson region, new footage appears to show, as progress along the front lines in the war-torn country stalls in the tough late fall conditions.

In a clip shared by Kyiv's military in southern Ukraine and widely published across open-source intelligence accounts, a Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system looks to be struck by Ukrainian fire in the Moscow-annexed Kherson region.

Newsweek could not independently verify this footage, and has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email.

The Kremlin's Pantsir-S1 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun and missile system has been deployed in Ukraine throughout Moscow's war effort, now nearing its 21st month. The mobile, short-range system—thought to be worth in the region of $15 million—is designed for use against aircraft, cruise missiles, precision-guided munitions and for supporting other air defense units against larger strikes.

The Pantsir system was destroyed close to the Kherson village of Chaplynka, one prominent open-source intelligence account said, dubbing the system a "drone killer." The settlement of Chaplynka is far behind the current front lines in Russian-held territory, and Newsweek could not independently verify this. The Ukrainian General Staff has been approached for comment via email.

Russia's Kherson region is one of the four mainland Ukrainian regions annexed by Moscow in fall 2022. The Dnieper River running through the region broadly marks the current front lines, after a sweeping Ukrainian counteroffensive in fall 2022 pushed Russia's troops to the east of the river.

Ukrainian forces have carried out operations on the east, or left, bank of the Dnieper, which continued on Sunday, the U.S. think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), said in its latest update.

Ukraine's defense forces "maintain their positions held on the left bank" of the river, the General Staff of Ukraine's military said on Monday, adding its troops "continue to conduct counter-battery fire, as they strike behind the enemy lines."

On Sunday, Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had killed 20 Ukrainian soldiers, and taken out two Ukrainian vehicles in the previous 24 hours in Kherson.

After slow progress in Kyiv's summer counteroffensive, movement along the frontlines has largely stalled. Although Ukrainian and Russian forces continue to plug away with operations in the south and east, heavy rainfall will hinder operations until winter conditions "fully set in," the ISW added.

Between February 2022 and the beginning of October 2023, Russia lost a confirmed 21 Pantsir-S1 systems in Ukraine, according to Dutch open-source intelligence outlet, Oryx. However, the true figure is likely to be higher, as this only includes visually verified losses.

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