Russia's Tor Missile System Blown Up With HIMARS After Missing Spy Drone

Ukraine's military released a dramatic piece of combat footage on Friday, seemingly depicting the destruction of a Russian mobile short-range missile system. This 35-second aerial video, initially shared by the Ukrainian Armed Forces Center for Strategic Communications (Stratcom) on Telegram, captures a Ukrainian drone deftly evading a missile launched by the Russian Tor air defense system. 

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry announced that the Russian Tor air defense system was taken out in a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) strike executed by Ukraine's 14th UAV Regiment. Although Newsweek was unable to independently verify the footage, they reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email. Details such as the location and the exact timing of the filming remain unclear.

The HIMARS, supplied by the U.S., has proven to be a crucial asset for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia, which has now entered its third year. Since the conflict began, Washington has provided Ukraine with at least 39 HIMARS units. 

These rocket systems have been instrumental in dismantling Russia's advanced anti-aircraft missile systems, including the Tor, which is adept at intercepting aircraft, drones, guided missiles, and other precision munitions at medium to low altitudes. Notably, the Tor-M2 variant, as reported by Russia's state-run news agency Tass last February, can destroy drones and other complex aerial targets while in motion.

Ukraine has persistently targeted these Tor systems. In addition to missile systems, Ukraine has utilized Western-supplied HIMARS to strike concentrations of Russian troops. In June, the Ukrainian military reported an attack on Russian forces concealed in a forest in occupied southern Ukraine.

According to a post by Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SSO) on Telegram, the UAV crew of the 73rd Maritime Center of Special Forces discovered the location of these troops during a reconnaissance mission. They then directed HIMARS fire onto the position, resulting in significant Russian casualties.

Moreover, in October 2023, footage surfaced showing the aftermath of a HIMARS strike on a Russian battalion. The Ukrainian open-source intelligence project, DeepState, indicated that this strike occurred at a training ground near the village of Podo-Kalynivka in occupied Kherson. The BBC News Russian service, citing a source within the Ukrainian special services, corroborated this location. According to the Ukrainian newspaper Zerkalo Nedeli, at least 60 Russian troops were killed in this Kherson attack.

The strategic use of HIMARS by Ukraine demonstrates the pivotal role these advanced weapon systems play in its defense efforts against Russian aggression. As the conflict drags on, the precision and effectiveness of such strikes continue to underscore the evolving nature of modern warfare, where technology and intelligence play crucial roles in determining outcomes on the battlefield.