Questions abound regarding Russia‘s ability to fend off drone attacks. Recently, Ukraine made headlines by reportedly targeting 2 sophisticated Russian Su-57s despite them being stationed far from the conflict zone.
This marked a significant blow as it was the first time Ukraine had successfully struck Russia’s top-tier aircraft, approximately 365 miles away from the eastern Ukraine frontlines.
Damage to the Su-57s was acknowledged by Russian military Telegram channels, often used to disclose losses when official statements are lacking. Notably, Russia’s defense mechanisms failed to thwart the attack, prompting criticism from influential Russian blogger Fighterbomber.
Russian reporter Aleksandr Kharchenko criticized the lack of protective hangars for the jets, highlighting vulnerabilities in Russia’s defense strategy.
Amidst Russia’s struggle against Ukraine’s superior technological warfare capabilities, concerns have surfaced regarding the efficacy of Russian air defense systems in countering drone swarms – a tactic Ukraine has effectively employed.
Russian Defense System Challenges
A study by Sergey Makarenko from St. Petersburg Electrotechnical University revealed deficiencies in Russian air defense systems against drone swarms, a key strength of Ukrainian forces.
Current Russian air defense systems like Pantsir-S1 and Tunguska struggle to effectively target small drones. Even advanced systems like Tor experience challenges in detecting and tracking these agile threats.
Russian electronic warfare capabilities, though capable of disrupting drone communication, face limitations against Ukraine’s tactical measures and pre-scheduled flight paths.
As a result, Russian soldiers have resorted to unconventional methods like seeking shotguns and even calling on civilians to send firearms to counter the relentless drone attacks on the frontline.