One of the russian propaganda media published a review of the S-350 Vityaz, a rare russian SAM system that has already appeared three times in the list of losses of russian occupiers. One such episode became known in February 2025.
This review is interesting because it highlights the characteristics russians attribute to the S-350 system and their plans for positioning it for export. However, in this case, we are talking about a SAM system for which only 12 launchers were known to exist at the beginning of 2022.
russians claim that the S-350 launcher can allegedly deploy two types of anti-aircraft missiles: short-range (10-15 km) and medium-range (40-120 km). The declared range of target detection of this system is up to 240 kilometers.
It is also claimed that during testings, russian S-350 Vityaz system allegedly showed its ability to counter not only aircraft and helicopters, but also cruise and anti-radar missiles, as well as guided bombs and MLRS rockets.
Regarding the use of the S-350 during russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, it is claimed that the system demonstrated the ability to counter Storm Shadow cruise missiles and aircraft-type drones, although no evidence has been provided.
As for the export version, it is known that it will be sold to countries currently using the S-300 SAM systems (except Ukraine). Moreover, russian S-350 was designed to replace the Soviet S-300. The question remains how long it took russians to develop this SAM.
The first sketches of the S-350 were presented by russians in 1999 at the MAKS-1999 air show, but work on the SAM didn’t begin until the early 2010s, with the system being adopted by the russian army in 2020.
It is alleged that, according to current plans, russia intends to produce the S-350 Vityaz until at least 2027. It appears that, at the moment, the russian occupation forces have not been supplied with enough of these systems, making it too early to discuss their export prospects.
However, russians demonstrated the C-350 in November 2024 at the Airshow China exhibition in Zhuhai, and during IDEX 2025 in February this year.
Earlier War News Hub reported about russia’s improvised ATS-59G artillery tractor modifications for battle.