Following successful strikes by Ukrainian forces on Russian air defense systems in Crimea, Russian forces have bolstered their defenses by deploying elements of the advanced S-500 surface-to-air missile system on the occupied peninsula.
This was disclosed by Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (GUR).
Budanov explained that the use of these systems would be experimental, as they have not been previously employed by Russians. He also noted that Russian military logistics continue to rely heavily on the Kerch Bridge.
“The Kerch Bridge has always been used by Russian forces and will continue to be used as long as it exists. While ferries are being used for most cargo, personnel primarily use the bridge. Cargo transport is less frequent, but for personnel, it remains the main route,” Budanov stated.
The S-500, known as Prometey or Triumfator-M, is designed to destroy medium-range ballistic missiles, aircraft, drones, and hypersonic missiles. This next-generation air defense system is expected to replace the A-135 anti-ballistic missile system around Moscow and supplement the long-range S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system.
Open sources indicate that the S-500 can detect and engage up to 10 ballistic hypersonic targets simultaneously, with speeds ranging from 11,000 mph to 16,000 mph. Russia has aimed to field a system comparable to the American THAAD but with a significant delay of approximately 30 years.
Russia initially planned to begin S-500 deployment in the early 2000s, but development delays pushed back the timeline. The system was first reported to be delivered to Russian forces in September 2021 after completing official trials.
The developer, Almaz-Antey, was contracted to deliver 10 systems starting from the first half of 2022, but this process has also faced delays.
