Russia has reportedly lost a modern and rare Tor-M2DT surface-to-air missile system that was designed for use in the Arctic..
According to Ukraine Weapons Tracker, a Russian 9A331MDT Tor-M2DT air defense system has been destroyed on the battlefield in the Kherson region by Ukrainian forces.
“The SAM system was destroyed by the 406th Artillery Brigade along with a DT-30 carrier using M982 Excalibur guided projectiles,” the OSINT group said in a Twitter post.
Multiple news outlets reported that the Russian Armed Forces deployed the first Tor-M2DT air defense systems to Ukraine in early December.
The Tor-M2DT system is mounted on the chassis of the DT-30PM-T1 two-section articulating tracked vehicle, manufactured by Ishimbai Transport Machine-Building Plant (Ishimbaitransmash).
Russian state media claimed that this air defense system can deflect massive enemy air raids when the enemy extensively uses electronic countermeasures. The arctic version of the Tor system was first publicly revealed in 2017. This system was adopted by the Russian Army. The first batch of vehicles was delivered in 2018.
#Ukraine: The first confirmed destruction of an esoteric Russian air defense system- the 9A331MDT Tor-M2DT, intended for use in Arctic environments.
The SAM system was destroyed by the 406th Artillery Brigade along with a DT-30 carrier using M982 Excalibur guided projectiles. pic.twitter.com/JYItQ4yHBl
— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) February 1, 2023
The Ukrainian military already has successfully destroyed the rare GAZ-3344-20 ‘Aleut’ vehicle and DT-30 articulating tracked vehicle, which was originally designed to operate in the Arctic.