Large Scale Deployment of Russian Pantsir-S Air Defence Systems in Syria

In what appears to be preparation for a large scale attack by missiles and drones, Russia has deployed more than 30 Pantsir-S air defence systems which can detect and attack low-flying hostile projectiles.

To date, [in service with the Syrian Arab Army] more than 30 anti-aircraft missile-cannon Pantsir-S systems have been deployed in Syria. Missile systems were produced at KBP Instrument Design Bureau in Tula. These are missile and cannon weapons, and this is a modern weapon," Sergei Khatylev was quoted by the Politika Segodnya news outlet.

The exact number of air defense systems sent by the Russian military to Syria and the reason behind the dispatch has not been disclosed. However, Khatylev noted that a large-scale missile attack of several hundred cruise or ballistic missiles can be repelled.

"Airspace of over an area of about 10,000 sqkm could be secured with the Pantsir anti-aircraft systems," he added.

On November 19, the Israeli military carried out air strikes against dozens of Iranian targets in Syria. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the air strikes were  in response to rocket fire on the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights the day before.