The war in Ukraine has reshaped the modern battlefield. What began as a large-scale invasion has evolved into a prolonged and complex conflict, with each side adapting strategies to undermine the other.
As the war drags into its fourth year, high-value targets and advanced military technology have taken center stage in efforts to gain an advantage.
Ukraine has dealt a major blow to Russia by destroying five of its advanced air defense systems in a single day, according to Ziare.
The systems, valued at approximately $350 million, include two Pantsir-S1 missile and cannon systems, one OSA-AKM air defense system, and two S-300 surface-to-air missile systems.
Confirmed by Navy
The Pantsir-S1, priced between $15 and $20 million per unit, is a short-range mobile air defense system designed to counter aircraft, cruise missiles, and precision-guided weapons.
Russia has deployed these systems to protect key infrastructure, including the strategically vital Kerch Bridge linking Russia to occupied Crimea.
The OSA-AKM, valued at $10 million, and the S-300 systems, which cost $150 million each, represent critical components of Russia’s air defense network.
The Ukrainian Navy confirmed the destruction of the Pantsir-S1 and OSA systems, while the Ministry of Defense released a video showing a drone strike that destroyed a Pantsir-S1 in the Kherson region.
War correspondent Andriy Tsaplienko reported the elimination of two S-300 systems within 24 hours in southern Ukraine.
These targeted strikes are part of Ukraine’s broader strategy to degrade Russia’s air defenses.
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggest that weakening these systems could enable Ukraine to use its air power more effectively in the long term, particularly with the introduction of F-16 fighter jets into its arsenal.
