These images purport to show Russian forces shooting down Ukrainian drones using a Tor-M2 air defence system.
The Tor-M2 is a short-range surface-to-air missile system geared towards shooting down aircraft including planes, helicopters, UAVs and cruise missiles.
The footage appears to show a Russian soldier operating the war machine before a missile is launched into the air. The video then cuts to a screen inside the war machine and appears to show the missile hitting a target in the sky.
A second missile is then fired before cutting to the screen inside the vehicle and showing it apparently hitting another target.
The images then show what appears to be a Russian mobile radar system somewhere in the woods. It can be seen sporting a ‘V’ symbol.
The ‘V’ is one of the symbols, as well as the letters ‘Z’ and ‘O’ that can be seen painted on Russian military vehicles taking part in the invasion of Ukraine.
The images then show another missile being fired before again cutting to the screen inside the war machine where it appears to hit its target. Another missile is then fired and also appears to hit its target before the footage shows a missile being fired at night.
Again, the footage cuts to the screen inside the war machine and appears to show the missile hitting its target.
The images then cut back to what appears to be the mobile radar system, with a Russian soldier seen opening a hatch as the footage ends.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Friday, 21st October, along with a statement claiming: “Crews of the Tor-M2 air defence system of the Air Defence Forces continue to successfully carry out combat missions in the special military operation.
“Crews of Tor-M2 anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) of the air defence units of the Eastern Military District (VVO) continue to perform combat missions in the special military operation. The air defence group tracks and successfully destroys all enemy air attack weapons that pose a threat to Russian troops. In the course of combat work, anti-aircraft gunners learned to fight reconnaissance and unmanned aerial vehicles.
“The Tor-M2 anti-aircraft missile system can hit almost all types of aircraft in its range of altitudes and range. Due to its characteristics, the air defence system is the most effective means of dealing with small, high-speed targets. […]”
We have not been able to independently verify the claims or the footage.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 240th day of the war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 21st October, Russia had lost about 66,750 personnel, 2,573 tanks, 5,258 armoured combat vehicles, 1,648 artillery units, 372 multiple launch rocket systems, 189 air defence systems, 269 warplanes, 243 helicopters, 1,325 drones, 329 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,006 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 147 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
The White House has said that Iran has increased its involvement in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by giving technical support to Russian forces operating Iranian-made drones to bomb civilian targets.
John Kirby, of the White House’s National Security Council, said on Thursday that Iranian advisers were in Crimea to provide the Russian military with training and maintenance.
The United Kingdom is applying new sanctions to three Iranian individuals and to a business for supplying Russia with drones to attack Ukraine.
The UK Foreign Office said in a statement that by providing drones to Russia, Iran is “actively warmongering, profiting off Russia’s abhorrent attacks on Ukrainian citizens, and adding to the suffering of the people and the destruction of critical infrastructure.”
The European Union agreed to apply sanctions against the same business and the three individuals shortly before the United Kingdom’s announcement.
Iran has denied supplying drones to Moscow and the Kremlin has accused the West of trying to put “pressure” on Iran.
British intelligence has said that Russia’s recent admission that a “difficult situation has emerged” in the Kherson region shows that the Russian authorities could be considering withdrawing their forces from the area west of the Dnipro River.
Ukraine has begun restricting electricity supplies across the country, beginning at 7am on Thursday. Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has said that over 300 attacks by Russia had destroyed a third of all power plants across Ukraine.
President Zelensky said that citizens need to prepare for “rolling blackouts”.
The UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, has revealed that a Russian aircraft released a missile near a British plane that was patrolling over the Black Sea, in international airspace, on 29th September.
Wallace told the House of Commons that the Russians had attributed the incident to a “technical malfunction”.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is using energy and hunger as weapons but he added that he has failed to break the West’s unity and will not achieve his war aims through scorched earth tactics.
Scholz told the German Parliament: “We will not let Moscow’s latest escalation go unanswered. Scorched earth tactics will not help Russia win the war. They will only strengthen the unity and resolve of Ukraine and its partners.”
NATO‘s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that the members will take action if Sweden or Finland come under pressure from Russia or another adversary before they have fully joined the alliance.
