Russia has invested heavily in the S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system to bolster its integrated air defense capabilities.
While the exact current number is not definitively stated by the Kremlin, the available information suggests Russia likely had around 16 to 18 battalions, or 56 full S-400 systems, deployed by the early 2020s. However, Russia has suffered notable losses of these prized systems in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. This makes it difficult to establish how many are currently operational.
Deployment and Composition
The S-400 entered Russian service in 2007, replacing older S-300 systems. By late 2015, Russia had 11 missile regiments armed with the S-400 and planned an increase to 16 regiments by end of 2016, according to reports from the Russian state news agency TASS. A 2018 analysis by international current-affairs magazine The Diplomat suggested long-term plans called for 56 S-400 battalions by 2020 as the backbone of Russia's surface-to-air missile capabilities.
The Pravda state newspaper says a regular S-400 battalion consists of 8 launchers with 32 missiles and costs around $200 million.
Each launcher can carry different missile types with ranges from 40 to 400 kilometers and includes truck-mounted radars, a mobile command post, and multiple launch platforms.
Losses in Ukraine Conflict
Despite its sophisticated capabilities, the S-400 has proven vulnerable in Ukraine. According to UK intelligence, Ukraine likely destroyed at least four Russian long-range S-400 systems in late October 2023, including three in Luhansk region.
These losses will strain Russia's remaining air defenses and could weaken coverage in other operational areas as systems are redeployed.
Beyond the confirmed losses, there are reports of additional S-400 systems being damaged or destroyed by Ukraine. In September 2023, Ukraine claimed striking two S-400s in Crimea using modified Neptune anti-ship missiles. An S-400 was also reportedly damaged within Russia by a drone attack that month.
Other successful Ukrainian strikes appeared to have used Western-supplied precision long-range weapons such as the U.S. Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).
Known or claimed losses so far include:
- Ukraine claimed to have destroyed two S-400 batteries in Crimea in September 2022, out of five that were initially deployed there.
- In April 2023, Ukraine said it destroyed or critically damaged four S-400 launchers in Crimea.
- In October 2023, Ukraine launched ATACMS missiles that destroyed an S-400 system in Luhansk Oblast.
- In November 2023, a UK intelligence update stated that Ukraine likely destroyed at least four Russian S-400 systems in a week.
- On April 19, 2024, Ukraine launched ATACMS missiles at a Russian airfield in Crimea, destroying S-400 launchers, three radars, and a Fundament-M air surveillance system.
- On April 23, 2024, Ukraine destroyed a 92N2 radar and a 96L6 high-altitude radar of an S-400 system.
- On April 28, 2024, Ukraine launched multiple ATACMS missiles in Crimea, destroying more S-400 air defense systems.
- On May 6, 2024, Ukrainian forces destroyed a tracked version of a Russian S-400 missile launcher in Zaporizhzhia region.
- On May 22, 2024, Ukraine's General Staff reported hitting another Russian S-400 air defense system, without providing further details.
This would suggest at least a dozen have been lost in the conflict, according to Ukraine's claim, but the numbers cannot be independently verified.
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Strategic Importance
The losses are significant setbacks for Russia's "premier" air defense system. Military experts previously told Newsweek that their destruction punches holes in Russia's integrated air defense network that Ukraine can exploit.
While the S-400 initially performed well in Ukraine, its recent vulnerabilities could provide potential lessons for Western militaries on ways to counter it.
The system has been a critical component of Russia's defense strategy, particularly in regions like Crimea, where it has been deployed to control airspace over significant areas such as the western half of the Black Sea.
The S-400 has been exported to several countries, including China and Turkey, despite opposition from the United States and NATO due to concerns about interoperability with NATO defense systems and potential sanctions.
Do you have a topic we should be covering? Do you have any questions about the military systems used in Ukraine? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com
Update, 5/24/24, 9:30 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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