Euronews Next takes a closer look at the Pantsir-S1 missile system that is believed to have played a role in shooting down Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243.
ADVERTISEMENTSources close to the investigation into the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243 on December 25 believe it was shot down by a Russian Pantsir-S1 air defence system brought from Syria.
A missile was fired at flight 8243 while there was drone activity above the city of Grozny in Chechnya, exploding next to the aircraft mid-flight and sending shrapnel ripping through the cabin hitting the passengers and crew.
At the time, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev blamed Russia for downing the plane, although admitted that it might not have been done intentionally.
News from the investigation was reported exclusively in Europe by Euronews on Friday. In light of the claims, Euronews Next breaks down what we know about the Pantsir-S1 missile system.
What is the Pantsir missile system?
The Pantsir missile system – or the SA-22 Greyhound as it’s known by NATO – is a family of self-propelled medium-range surface-to-air missile systems.
First designed in the 1990s by the Instrument Design Bureau in Tula, Russia, the missile system is the “perfect protection for any object,” according to the Russian Defence Export (ROE), the state agency in charge of exporting Russian weapons.
The system combines missile and gun weapons with the “ability of a combat vehicle” to “engage a wide class of air attack weapons,” like aircraft, missiles and high-precision weapons while they are still in motion.
ROE says the missile system has a range of up to 20 km and can shoot at targets up to 15,000 m (49,000 ft) in altitude, while its guns have a range of up to 4,000 m and can reach heights up to 3,000 m (around 9,800 ft).
The best use for the weapon is in small military, administrative and industrial facilities, ROE asserts. The system is also designed to strengthen Russia’s air defence units against “massive air strikes”.
There’s a mobile version of the Pantsir S-1 that includes a combat vehicle with up to six vehicles in a battery, guns that can shoot 30 mm rounds and a transporter-loader vehicle.
How has the weapon changed over time?
The Russians claim that the Pantsir missile is often used to shoot down Ukrainian missiles and fighter jets.
Notably, the missile systems were used against Ukrainian ATACMS missiles fired in an attempted attack in the Belgorod region in Russia on January 3, according to state-owned Russian news agency TASS.
The Russians have modified the artillery system many times to serve their needs in the invasion of Ukraine.
The latest modification, shown off by the Russians at the Army 2024 International Military and Technical Forum in August, is equipped with mini-missiles to defeat drones to make it more efficient during aerial raids, according to TASS.
The Pantsyr-SM-SV, another version of the system, is mounted on a tracked chassis which lets the system shield Russian land troops as they go on the march in the snow and on rough terrain, TASS said.
ADVERTISEMENTA more compact missile for this air defence system that will specifically attack drones is also being tested, according to Russian developer Rostec.
The Russians also previously updated the software of the Pantsir system to be more efficient at shooting down US HIMARS missiles and the UK’s Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
At the time, that included arming the artillery system with 12 surface-to-air missiles and two anti-aircraft guns that fire roughly 5,000 rounds per minute.
The Pantsir system also has a thermal imager so gunners can see whether there are explosives attached to any flying craft that is trying to strike, according to reports by TASS.
ADVERTISEMENTRussia is not the only country that uses the Pantsir as part of its military response. Algeria, Ethiopia, Iraq, Libya, the United Arab Emirates, and Serbia also use it, according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
