Ukraine Destroys Russia’s New ‘Sapphire’ Anti-Drone Complex in Kursk.

Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) have successfully destroyed the last Russian electronic warfare (EW) system, "Sapphire," in the Kursk region, according to a statement from the SSO on Telegram.
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Video capture of FPV attack on Russian EW sapphire system near Kursk (Picture source: Telegram channel of Ukrainian SSO)

"The operators of Ukraine's SSO targeted and destroyed the Russian 'Sapphire' electronic warfare complex in the Kursk region," reads the caption of the published video. Ukrainian military personnel identified the Russian electronic complex during a reconnaissance mission in Russian-controlled territory near Kursk.

The damage was caused by attack drones that destroyed the "Sapphire" anti-aircraft missile system. "The enemy also suffered casualties, with both deaths and injuries," the SSO reported, without specifying the exact numbers.

A drone-captured video, which cannot be independently verified, showed the damage inflicted on the Russian anti-aircraft system. However, the poor quality of the footage made it difficult to specifically identify the targeted electronic warfare system.

In the video, Russian soldiers can be seen attempting to evacuate their injured comrades, though it is difficult to determine the exact number of casualties.

In July 2023, the Russian state agency TASS reported that Russian forces had used the new "Sapphire" electronic warfare system for the first time in the combat zone in Ukraine. Despite the strike, the Russian news agency announced that "the complex performed very well; the troops did not continue their missions without it."

The "Sapphire" electronic warfare system was reportedly used to protect Russian engineering units constructing new trenches against Ukrainian drone operations on the battlefield.

At the time, Russian media claimed that the "Sapphire" could counter all types of drones. Upon detecting a threat, the system could instantly classify the type of drone and assess the level of danger. The electronic warfare complex would then emit an alarm and begin "jamming" the enemy drone. According to the manufacturer, the "Sapphire" could detect and classify drones at a distance of up to 30 kilometers and counter them at a range of up to five kilometers. Russian sources also claimed that the system could jam ground-based drone control stations.

The "Sapphire" is based on the chassis of a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter civilian bus, although it can be installed on other specialized chassis. The complex is equipped with a characteristic telescopic mast with numerous omnidirectional antennas, with the command post housed in the same vehicle as the hardware components.