The Ukrainian army has destroyed a rare Tor-M2DT air defense system – a specialized variant developed for Arctic operations – during a drone strike near the Belbek airbase on the occupied Crimean peninsula.
The information was published by the Ukrainian forces themselves, who described the operation as one of the most complex actions against Russian military infrastructure on the peninsula in recent times.
According to Kyiv, the offensive was carried out by units of Ukraine’s unmanned systems forces, which used attack drones to hit the system located near the Russian-controlled airport.
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The Tor-M2DT, mounted on the DT-30PM-T1 two-wheeled vehicle, is designed for extreme cold conditions and is typically used to protect military and strategic installations in the high north. Nevertheless, Moscow has moved these units to Crimea in an attempt to strengthen its air defenses after repeated losses to Ukrainian long-range attacks.
Only the 80th Motorized Infantry Brigade from the Northern Fleet operated this model. In 2020, Russia had 12 such units, and only two cases of destruction had been recorded – both in 2023 in the Kherson region.
Combined attack on Crimea destroys Russian drone warehouses in Saki
Parallel to the destruction of Tor-M2DT in Belbek, the Ukrainian Navy in cooperation with special forces carried out a combined attack against Russian targets on the temporarily occupied Crimean peninsula.
The operation started with FPV drones knocking out anti-aircraft systems, including Tor-M2 and Pantsir-S1, protecting Saki air base. After the initial crackdown, attack drones moved in on the Russian UAV stocks.
The video, published by the Ukrainian Navy, shows the destruction of:
- the Russian aviation command and control center at the airbase
- warehouses with Orion and Forpost drones
- anti-aircraft installations
- and a ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun mounted on a KamAZ-truck, which allegedly tried to shoot down the Ukrainian drones
According to military analysts, the FPV drones may have been transported to Crimea using a combination of maritime drones and long-range unmanned aerial vehicles – although the details of the operation remain classified.
The images also show attack drones with cameras and direct communication channels, making it possible to hit sensitive structures on the air base with millimeter precision.
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Source and images: Militarnyi | Telegram @ukrainian_navy. This content was produced with the help of KI and reviewed by the editorial staff.
