(KYIV) – Ukraine’s Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on 14 February that its Alpha special operations unit destroyed around half of Russia’s Pantsir surface to air missile and gun systems during 2025 through long range strikes.
In a statement, the agency said the Pantsir system is a modern and central element of Russia’s air defence network and is particularly effective against Ukrainian long range drones. Each unit is valued at between 15 million and 20 million US dollars, equivalent to about 11.9 million to 15.8 million pounds sterling.
The SBU said the campaign was designed to weaken Russian air defences and open corridors for deep strike operations. These corridors allow Ukrainian forces to target military bases, ammunition depots, airfields, and other assets in Russian occupied territory.
According to the agency, the total value of Russian air defence systems destroyed by the Alpha unit in 2025 reached about 4 billion US dollars, or roughly 3.2 billion pounds sterling.
The SBU said the unit systematically targeted several layers of Russian air defences throughout the year. This approach, it said, created routes for long range strikes deep behind enemy lines and reduced Russia’s ability to protect key strategic facilities.
Other Ukrainian military units also carried out parallel operations against Russian air defence systems in 2025. These operations relied on drones and precision guided weapons to weaken Moscow’s air defence capabilities.
Together, the SBU said, these efforts were intended to increase the effectiveness of Ukraine’s deep strike operations and limit Russia’s capacity to defend critical infrastructure.
The Russian dictator, Vladimir Putin, continues to face growing economic and demographic pressures. In January, Russian military losses were estimated at about 30,000 personnel, exceeding recruitment levels by several thousand.
Independent analysts have reported that regional budgets in Russia are facing a combined deficit of around 5 trillion roubles, equivalent to approximately 53.6 billion US dollars and about 42.5 billion pounds sterling.
Russian blogger Alexander Babylev said that small business taxes and transport fees are being raised in an attempt to cover these shortfalls. He added that Russia’s railway system is facing an additional deficit of about 4 trillion roubles, valued at roughly 42.9 billion US dollars and 34 billion pounds sterling.
