--- title: "Navy Spokesman: Each hit on a 'Pantsir' in Crimea opens new opportunities for AFU strikes" description: "Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk stated that strikes on two 'Pantsirs' in Crimea and other air defense objects create a system shortage and open opportunities for subsequent Defense Forces strikes." date: 2026-11-06T18:46:13.474Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/navy-spokesman-pantsir-crimea-afu-strikes tags: [ukraine-war, pantsir, air-defense, crimea, vms-ufsu, military-strikes] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Navy Spokesman: Each hit on a 'Pantsir' in Crimea opens new opportunities for AFU strikes ![Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile and gun system against the background of the Russian flag](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/06/spiker-vms-pantsir-krym-udary-vsu/spiker-vms-pantsir-krym-udary-vsu-1.webp) ## Key Points - AFU hit two 'Pantsir-S2' systems in Crimea, as well as a fire group, a drone control point, and a warehouse in the Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk regions - Navy spokesman Pletenchuk stated that each destroyed air defense complex opens new targets for AFU strikes that were previously covered by that system - A deficit of 'Pantsirs' has formed in Russia due to high production costs, dependence on foreign components, and loss rates at the front - In recent weeks, the destruction of at least three 'Pantsir' series complexes has been recorded, including a 'Pantsir-S1' in October In early November, the Defense Forces of Ukraine carried out strikes on a number of military facilities in the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea, as well as the Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk regions. Specifically, two 'Pantsir-S2' anti-aircraft missile and gun systems, an occupier fire group in Crimea, a drone control point in the Zaporizhzhia region, and a warehouse in the Luhansk region were hit. This was announced by Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy, during the national telethon, emphasizing that every successful strike on enemy air defense creates prerequisites for subsequent actions by the Defense Forces. ### Strategic significance of air defense system destruction According to Pletenchuk, a damaged air defense installation does not protect "itself" — there are always other objects behind it that it covers. Therefore, the destruction of a specific complex opens up new directions and targets for Ukrainian strike groups. "The next stage will be hitting the target that the installation was protecting," noted the Navy spokesman. He also pointed out that even Russian propagandists admit that not all military airfields in the RF have full protection, and only Vladimir Putin's residence at Valdai is covered by dozens of 'Pantsirs'. ### Deficit and vulnerability of 'Pantsirs' Pletenchuk explained that a deficit of these complexes has developed in Russia for several reasons. First, the production of 'Pantsirs' is expensive and technically complex due to the large number of foreign components. Second, the rate of air defense system losses at the front remains high, and production cannot keep up with them. "There is a deficit, that's first. Secondly, the production of these air defenses is expensive and complex due to the large number of foreign components. And production must cover the rate of losses, and the loss rate is high, which is why a deficit arises," the spokesman is quoted as saying by RBC-Ukraine. At the same time, Pletenchuk emphasized that 'Pantsirs' are not "engineering perfection" and possess a number of design flaws. ### Context of recent strikes The strikes on 'Pantsirs' in Crimea became part of a broader series of attacks by the Defense Forces on the occupiers' military infrastructure. Earlier, on October 8 and in the night of October 9, Ukrainian units hit a 'Pantsir-S1' anti-aircraft missile and gun system, a drone launch site, and Russian army support facilities. Thus, in recent weeks, the destruction of at least three 'Pantsir' series complexes (two 'Pantsir-S2' in Crimea and one 'Pantsir-S1') has been recorded, which testifies to the targeted AFU tactic of suppressing the enemy's anti-aircraft shield in key directions. ### What's next According to Pletenchuk's statements, the logic of future AFU actions is based on the principle of sequential destruction: first, the protection means is neutralized, then the object it was covering. The Navy spokesman did not disclose specific plans, but indicated that every hit enemy air defense unit "is of great importance" and expands the space for subsequent strike operations by the Defense Forces of Ukraine. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [У ВМС объяснили важность поражения "Панцирей" в Крыму](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/vms-poyasnili-vazhlivist-urazhennya-pantsiriv-1793989937.html) - Statement by Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk on the national telethon. Strikes on two 'Pantsir-S2' in Crimea, a fire group, a drone control point, and a warehouse are confirmed by the AFU. The Russian side is not cited in the source. Contextual strikes on October 8–9 against 'Pantsir-S1' are also mentioned with reference to RBC-Ukraine. ## FAQ ### What specific facilities were hit in early November? According to Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk, in early November, two 'Pantsir-S2' anti-aircraft missile and gun systems in Crimea, an occupier fire group in Crimea, a drone control point in the Zaporizhzhia region, and a warehouse in the Luhansk region were hit. ### Why is the destruction of 'Pantsirs' considered important for the AFU? Pletenchuk explained that every hit air defense installation opens new targets for AFU strikes that were previously covered by that system. In addition, there is a deficit of 'Pantsirs' in Russia due to high production costs and loss rates, which complicates the replacement of lost complexes. ### How many 'Pantsir' complexes have been hit in recent weeks? According to RBC-Ukraine, the destruction of at least three complexes has been recorded in recent weeks: two 'Pantsir-S2' in Crimea in early November and one 'Pantsir-S1' on the night of October 9.