Ukraine’s Security Service of Ukraine Alpha Unit Destroys Half of All Russian Pantsir Air Defense Systems

“Long-range strikes by the (SBU’s) Special Operations Center Alpha halved the number of Russian Pantsir surface-to-air artillery and missile systems in 2025…The systematic destruction of Pantsir systems has a strategic goal: to break through the enemy’s air defense, and create corridors to strike targets deep in its rear. This enables Ukraine’s defense forces to operate effectively against military bases, warehouses, airfields, and other occupier facilities.” — Ukrainska Pravda media outlet, February 14, 2026.

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The RBC Ukraine and Ukrainska Pravda media outlets reported on February 14, 2026, that the Security Service of Ukraine’s (SBU) elite, Alpha Group special operations unit has destroyed literally half of all Russian Pantsir-S1M (Pantsir means “Shell” or “Armor” in Russian) and -S2 (SA-22A and SA-22B Greyhound) air defense systems so far, each valued at nearly $20 million, totaling approximately $4 billion in weapon systems and related equipment wiped out by late October 2025. The Russian Federation possessed 116 Pantsir systems in January 2022, just before the Russia-Ukraine War began, and production has been ramped up considerably since then, with at least 230+ examples, constructed at a rate of about 30 units per year.

The Pantsir/SA-22A/B Greyhound system combines a pair of 2A38M twin-barrel, 30mm autocannon (2.5 miles maximum range) with up to 12 x 57E6M-E (SA-22 Greyhound) surface-to-air missiles, having a range of about 19 miles for the latest, Pantsir-S1M and S2 variants in service. It’s a highly mobile, eight-wheeled vehicle, replacing the older, 2S6M1 Tunguska-M tracked vehicle and its SA-19 Grison missiles (6.2 miles range) within most Russian ground regiments.

The system is so effective that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s luxurious retreat at Lake Valdai, Russia, is surrounded by no less than 12 Pantsir-S2s, mostly mounted upon steel towers, for improved line of sight. Some have even been photographed mounted on rooftops in downtown Moscow, protecting the Russian government from long-range drone strikes.

By October 31, 2025, Vasyl Malyuk, head of the Ukrainian SBU agency, stated, “The enemy, let’s face it, has very strong air defense. The Pantsir is the most effective against our long-range drones. Since the beginning of 2025, up until today, we have destroyed 48 percent of their Pantsirs. This is our priority now, determined by the President of Ukraine…(and) the number of destroyed systems far exceeds their production capacity…We have deep strikes, operations in the enemy’s rear using UAVs (drones). We’re talking about distances of 130 kilometers (80 miles) or more.”

Pantsirs are among the most effective air defense systems in countering Ukraine’s long-range drones, but they were specifically designed to defeat average-sized aircraft, not tiny, stealthy, Ukrainian drones.

The Dutch defense analytics website Oryx reported that at least 35 Russian Pantsir-S1M missile systems have been confirmed as destroyed, but the actual figure is much higher, due to the strict nature of Oryx’s verification process. Ukrainian forces have long targeted Pantsir air defense systems wherever they can find them, and last October, a Ukrainian RAM-2X X-wing drone with a 6.6-pound explosive warhead flew more than 62 miles from the front lines of battle and struck a Russian anti-aircraft system at the Luhansk airport. Similar strikes were carried out in Russian-occupied Crimea by long-range drones from the elite SBU Alpha unit.

Special Group Alpha of the SBU is an elite, SpetsNaz (special forces) commando unit, based in Kyiv. The unit’s missions include paramilitary operations, covert operations, counterterrorism, direct action, executive protection, high-value target capture or elimination, hostage rescue, unconventional warfare, long-range penetration, high-risk special operations, and special reconnaissance.

SBU Alpha teams typically employ Glock-17 or H&K USP9 pistols in 9mm, Glock FM78 Field Knives, Colt M4A1 carbines in 5.56mm (until very recently), SIG MCX carbines (most recently), ČZ (Czech) 806 Bren-2 carbines, and a wide variety of sniper rifles, including the Sako (Finnish) TRG-22, Blaser (German) R93 Tactical 2, SIG Sauer (German) SSG 3000, B&T (Swiss) APR308, and Desert Tech (U.S.) SRS, all in 7.62x51mm, as well as the Desert Tech (U.S.) HTI in .50 BMG.

 

This is all in addition to the standard, Soviet/Ukrainian weaponry previously available, such as the Makarov PB suppressed pistol, Stechkin APS machine pistol, AKS-74U compact carbine, VSS Vintorez suppressed sniper rifle, and certain Western equipment, being gradually phased out.