The British Ministry of Defense: SA‑15 tor system's importance

The British Ministry of Defense reported on Sunday that the significant aspect of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine lies in overcoming the enemy's ground air defense systems.

From the Russian side, the SA-15 Tor takes on a vital and widely effective part. This system is a short-range, ground-to-air missile with a maximum range of approximately 9 miles. Operated by the Russian Army's air defense units, the SA-15's main role is defending the front-line ground troops, as explained in the daily intelligence update.

This contrasts with other short-range systems, such as the SA-22 Pantsir, which are handled by the Russian Air Force. These systems are typically used for protecting command nodes, long-range ground-to-air missile systems, and air bases.

"In Ukraine, acting as Russia's primary line of comprised air defense network, the SA-15 is currently particularly employed to counteract Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle operations. The system's key limitation in the current war could likely be the endurance of its crew. Each system only has three allocated personnel, hence maintaining a high state of readiness over an extended period can pose an extreme test to stamina" - the report stated.