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Defense Express’ Weekly Review: Ukrainian Drones Target russian Oil Facilities, What Does the Unexploded Kh-101 Warhead Indicate, Occupiers Complain About Tor-M2

russian Tor surface-to-air missile system / Open source illustrative photo
russian Tor surface-to-air missile system / Open source illustrative photo
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Digest of Defense Express on the main events of the week

Unexpected Information About the Delivery of Skynex Air Defense System to Ukraine

At the close of 2023, Ukraine received its first battery of the Skynex air defense system from Rheinmetall Italia. The second Skynex battery, under the same contract, is anticipated to be delivered in March 2024. This news is somewhat unexpected and even mysterious, as it diverges from previously known information about the planned delivery of Skynex air defense systems to Ukraine.

The Skynex air defense system, Defense Express
The Skynex air defense system / Illustrative photo credit: Rheinmetall

Unexploded Kh-101 Warhead Shows russia Uses Missiles Fresh From Conveyor For Shelling Ukraine

The aerial attack by russian invasion forces on Ukraine on January 23rd included Kh-101 cruise missiles produced just recently, as indicated by an inscription on an unexploded warhead of an intercepted missile. This marks another instance of russia using brand-new weapons for airstrikes, an indication of completely depleted stocks of this type of weapon.

Read more: Chronicle of the russian federation Crimes in Ukraine (January 2024)
Unexploded warhead of a Kh-101 shot down by air defense in Ukraine, Defense Express
Unexploded warhead of a Kh-101 shot down by air defense in Ukraine, January 23

Tor SAM Fails to Intercept Ukrainian Warmate Drone and Gets Hit

The Tor anti-aircraft missile system was detected by the 15th artillery reconnaissance brigade and promptly targeted for a precision strike using a Warmate 3.0 loitering munition, or simply a kamikaze drone.

This incident marks another occasion where a russian counter-UAV missile system failed to defend itself against explosive drones. Despite being praised in russia as one of the most effective methods to counter unmanned aerial vehicles, the Tor system proved vulnerable to a low-cost FPV drone.

Additionally, russian occupiers complain that their Tor-M2 systems are unable to cope with missiles like the Storm Shadow

Western Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG cruise missiles have proven to be difficult targets for russians. Occupiers recognize that they have limited capabilities to shoot down these objects.

The Ukrainian Air Force uses Franco-British Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG cruise missiles, Defense Express
The Ukrainian Air Force uses Franco-British Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG cruise missiles / Photo credit: The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Telegram

Invaders claim that the missiles fly to its target at a low altitude. This is why they are invulnerable to russian long-range surface-to-air missile systems as well as the missiles are allegedly intercepted "at the final part of flight path".

It is worth noting that a certain number of missiles can indeed be shot down by russian air defense. But at the same time, Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG cruise missiles have already destroyed targets that worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Drones Target russian Gas Terminal in the Baltic and Factory Making Pantsir Air Defense Systems, Combat Vehicle Turrets

The recent strikes on oil facilities are a crucial step to deprive the occupiers of fuel and complicate the export of oil or gas.

Firefighters put out the fire that broke out at their gas terminal in Ust-Luga, Leningrad Oblast, russia, Defense Express
Firefighters put out the fire that broke out at their gas terminal in Ust-Luga, Leningrad Oblast, russia / Photo source: Leningrad Oblast governor Aleksandr Drozdenko on his social media

One of such kamikaze drone attacks occurred during the night on January 21. Around 3:20 AM, local time, the explosive UAVs hit the biggest on the Baltic Sea russian complex for natural gas liquids fractionation, handling and transportation in Ust-Luga, belonging to Novatek company. Worth noting, the port is located almost 900 km from the Ukrainian state border.

Such strikes significantly impact the military capabilities of the russian federation.

Detailed Photos of North Korean Missile That Struck Ukraine

russia used a ballistic missile, manufactured in North Korea, to attack the city of Kharkiv in Ukraine, during the aerial attack on January 2nd, 2024.

Wreckage of a supposedly North Korean KN-23/KN-24 missile found in Kharkiv after a russian missile attack, Defense Express
Wreckage of a supposedly North Korean KN-23/KN-24 missile found in Kharkiv after a russian missile attack / Photo credit: Conflict Armament Research

The analysis of missile wreckage indicates this weapon was made in North Korea; its provision to russia means violation of UN Security Council resolutions regarding military cooperation with DPRK.

Read more: Chronicle of the russian federation Crimes in Ukraine: February 2022 - December 2023