- Ukraine destroyed a Russian Tor-M2DT Arctic air defense system near the Belbek airbase in occupied Crimea using attack drones.
- The Tor-M2DT, originally designed for Arctic operations, was one of about 12 units Russia possessed before the invasion.
Ukraine’s military has destroyed a rare Arctic-modified Tor-M2DT air defense system during a drone strike near the Belbek airbase in occupied Crimea, according to information released by Ukrainian forces.
The strike was carried out by units of the Unmanned Systems Forces, which used attack drones to target the system stationed close to the Russian-controlled airfield.
The Tor-M2DT is an unusual sight in the southern theater. Designed for extreme Arctic conditions, the system is mounted on the DT-30PM-T1 two-link tracked carrier and is intended to protect Russian units and infrastructure in the High North. Despite its specialized role, Russia has increasingly deployed such equipment to Crimea as it struggles to compensate for air defense losses caused by Ukrainian long-range strikes.
Russia is now relying on older, experimental, export-oriented, or climate-specific variants of air defense systems to protect key sites in Crimea. The placement of the Tor-M2DT in a warm coastal environment underscores a growing shortage of modern systems following months of strikes on radar positions, launchers, and command posts.
Defense analysts note that Russia had only about a dozen Tor-M2DT units before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to open-source monitoring group Oryx, the system destroyed near Belbek is the third visually confirmed loss of this Arctic variant since the war began. The two previous losses occurred in 2023.
Ukrainian military sources report that the destroyed system was used to reinforce defensive coverage around Belbek, a location that hosts fighter aircraft, air-defense assets, and Russian command infrastructure.
The appearance of the Tor-M2DT in Crimea highlights broader pressure on Russia’s air defense network. Moscow has attempted to reinforce key bases with any available systems, including units never intended for operations in the region’s climate or terrain. Analysts suggest that these redeployments indicate reduced inventory of standard systems such as Tor-M2 and Pantsir-S1.
Ukraine continues to expand long-range drone operations across occupied Crimea, striking radar stations, aircraft, fuel depots, and missile infrastructure. These attacks aim to degrade Russia’s ability to operate aircraft and maintain control over Black Sea airspace. The destruction of unique or limited-production systems increases the strain on Russian logistics and complicates efforts to maintain air defense density.
Russia has not publicly commented on the loss near Belbek, despite video evidence circulating on Ukrainian platforms and reports from local residents.