“More than 160 planes and helicopters, 3,000 UAVs, more than 1,700 different types of missiles and rockets were shot down,” Leonov said in an interview with the Krasnaya Zvezda daily. According to him, among the targets shot down were the announced American HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, as well as HARM anti-radar missiles.
The best assessment of the effectiveness of the actions of military air defense specialists was the persistent unwillingness of the pilots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to fly in the areas of responsibility of Russian air defense systems, Leonov emphasized.
An analysis of the characteristics of the American HIMARS and MLRS complexes was carried out, which made it possible to refine the S-300V4, Buk-M3 and Tor-M2. These complexes reach 65% of all enemy air strike weapons destroyed, the general noted. He noted that in defeating suddenly appearing air targets at low and extremely low altitudes, the Igla and Verba MANPADS have proven their worth. They account for a third of all destroyed manned aircraft of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
To counter the warheads of ballistic missiles, AWACS-type aviation detection and control systems, as well as strategic aircraft, troops continue to be equipped with S-300V4 air defense systems. In addition, Buk-M3 medium-range air defense systems and Tor-M2 systems are being delivered.