Ukraine's elite Alpha unit dealt a $4 billion blow to Russian air defenses last year, security forces say

"The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on Monday that its "Alpha" special forces unit conducted long-range strikes on Russian air defense and radar systems. The unit heavily relies on long-range drones in its attacks. It said the strikes managed to break open corridors in Russia's multilayered air defenses and created safe passages to allow Ukraine's long-range drones to punch deep behind enemy lines."

"The SBU listed off the types of air defense systems it said Alpha attacks destroyed or damaged: S-300s and S-400s, BUK M-1s and M-2s, Pantsir S-1s and S-2s, and Tor-M1s, M2s, and M3s. These systems range from older, Soviet-era models to some of Russia's most advanced systems. Many of these systems come with large price tags, though the cost of the losses is often the estimated current cost of replacement."

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported that the Alpha special forces unit destroyed or disabled Russian air-defense and radar systems valued at roughly $4 billion over the past year through long-range strikes. The unit relied heavily on long-range drones to breach corridors in Russia's multilayered air defenses, creating safe passages for deep-strike assets. Those assets hit military bases, warehouses, and airfields, complicating Russian force buildup and operations. The SBU listed damaged systems including S-300, S-400, BUK M-1/M-2, Pantsir S-1/S-2, and Tor M-series, and cited losses of radars such as Nebo-U and Gamma-D. Many systems carry high replacement costs while Russia's defense industrial base faces strains from sanctions and other pressures.

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