Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has destroyed about 48% of Russia’s Pantsir-S1 short-range air defense systems since the beginning of 2025, SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk said.

The claim highlights how Ukraine’s expanding long-range strike capability is eroding Moscow’s ability to protect critical sites deep inside occupied territory and Russia itself.

According to Malyuk, Russian forces produce around 30 of the self-propelled systems annually, but Ukrainian strikes have eliminated a number “that far exceeds their production capacity.”

“Since the beginning of 2025, we have neutralized nearly half of all enemy Pantsirs. This is one of our top priorities set by the president,” Malyuk said.

The Netherlands-based defense analysis site Oryx has visually confirmed at least 35 destroyed Pantsir-S1 systems, though Ukrainian officials say the real figure may be higher.

Malyuk noted that the Russian system remains one of the most effective against Ukraine’s long-range drones.

“The enemy has a very strong air defense. The Pantsirs are the most effective tool against our long-range drones,” he said.

The Pantsir-S1 is a short-range combined surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft gun system designed to protect troops and strategic sites from aircraft, helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles. It carries two 30-mm cannons and 12 missiles, supported by radar and electro-optical tracking.

Ukraine’s most recent strike on a Pantsir system took place in late October, when SBU unit “A” drones hit Russian air defense positions in Crimea. Earlier in the month, a RAM-2X loitering munition struck another system at the Luhansk airport, more than 100 kilometers from the front line.

The Pantsir has been in Russian service in Ukraine since 2014, first appearing during the battle for Debaltseve. Its growing vulnerability underscores Ukraine’s progress in precision targeting and the intensifying contest between drones and air defenses shaping the next phase of the war.

Ukraine systematically dismantles Russian air defense network

Ukraine has conducted a systematic campaign to dismantle Russian air defense coverage in occupied southern Ukraine, particularly Crimea, creating "blind corridors" that allow long-range drones to reach deep into occupied territory and Russia itself. 

In late October alone, SBU drones struck a $20 million Pantsir-S2 system along with two radar stations in Crimea, while HUR's "Ghosts" unit destroyed multiple radar installations including components of S-300 and S-400 systems across occupied Donbas. 

The campaign targets not just Pantsir systems but the entire Russian air defense network - Ukrainian forces have destroyed or damaged S-400 radars and launchers, Buk-M3 systems, and specialized anti-drone radars like the Valdai. 

Each strike reduces Russia's ability to protect critical sites and opens pathways for Ukrainian drones operating at ranges exceeding 1,000 kilometers.

Ukrainian forces have carried out more than 160 precision strikes on oil refineries and energy facilities deep inside Russia in 2025, reducing the country’s oil production by up to 90% and causing a fuel shortage of over 20%, according to Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) chief Vasyl Malyuk.

The strikes represent one of Ukraine’s most extensive long-range campaigns of the war, directly targeting the backbone of Russia’s war economy. Oil and gas revenues remain Moscow’s primary source of funding for its invasion and a critical cushion against Western sanctions. By disrupting refinery operations and exports, Ukraine aims to weaken the Kremlin’s ability to sustain its military spending.

Speaking at a press briefing on 31 October, Malyuk said Ukrainian drones and missiles have hit several key refineries in September and October, severely impacting Russia’s oil sector and fuel supply.

“We are implementing what we call kinetic sanctions - deep strikes into the enemy’s rear using drones at ranges beyond 120 kilometers,” Malyuk said.

He emphasized that Ukrainian operations target only lawful military and economic objectives - specifically, oil production and refining facilities that directly support Russia’s war effort.

“These are the dirty oil rubles the enemy uses to kill us,” Malyuk said.

Ukraine's precision refinery strikes combine with sanctions to create repair crisis

Ukraine's systematic campaign targeting Russian refineries has evolved from opportunistic strikes to precision economic warfare. The SBU and other Ukrainian defense agencies have repeatedly hit critical processing units.

BBC Verify documented 21 of Russia's 38 large refineries struck since January 2025, with attacks reaching record levels in August and remaining elevated through October.

The campaign's impact extends beyond immediate damage. The International Energy Agency estimates Ukrainian strikes have cut Russia's refining output by 500,000 barrels per day and will keep processing rates low until at least mid-2026. 

Combined with Western sanctions that prevent Russian refineries from obtaining specialized repair equipment, each breakdown, whether from combat damage or routine failure, becomes a prolonged crisis.

Data cited by Bloomberg shows that Russia’s fuel exports have fallen to wartime lows amid mounting refinery outages and Western sanctions. Seaborne oil product shipments dropped to 1.89 million barrels per day in October - the lowest since the start of the full-scale invasion - underscoring how Ukraine’s strikes are increasingly eroding Moscow’s energy revenues.