New era in missile defense: S‑500 Prometheus guards Crimea bridge
The first operational S-500 Prometheus missile defence regiment is set to be deployed to defend the Crimean Bridge. This is the latest weapon of its kind from the Russians, which the authorities in Moscow have repeatedly heralded as a significant achievement of their defence industry. Here's what is known about it.
The first mention of the S-500 Prometheus came in 2015, when the Russians were proud to present its design phase. However, production did not begin until 2021, with only a few units initially produced. By the end of 2024, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, confirmed that the first fully operational S-500 Prometheus regiment had been formed.
S-500 Prometheus to the rescue for Russians
According to sources, including the Bulgarian Military portal, it will be directed to defend the Crimean Bridge. This information is not surprising, as a few months ago, Ukrainian intelligence indicated that the Russians were initiating efforts to deploy some elements of the S-500 Prometheus systems in occupied Crimea.
The bridge, which links mainland Russia with Crimea, is of strategic importance and has been one of the most heavily secured sites since the beginning of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian attacks pose a threat, which could occur not only from the air but also from the Black Sea (using surface drones, as seen in July 2023).
The Crimean Bridge is protected by the best Russian anti-aircraft systems, the Pantsir-S1 and S-400 systems. According to some observers and analysts, the introduction of reinforcements in the form of the S-500 Prometheus confirms the Russians' fears of further attacks on the Crimean Bridge, for instance, using Western long-range cruise missiles.
The new hope for Russians to protect Crimea
The S-500 Prometheus, produced by the company Almaz-Antey, is an even more modern and advanced anti-aircraft system. However, like many other new Russian technologies, not all of its exact technical specifications are known.
"This system does not resemble anything we have previously deployed," said Gen. Valery Gerasimov at the end of 2024, highlighting the S-500 Prometheus's capability to neutralise the most advanced threats, including hypersonic weapons and ballistic missiles.
According to Russian military officials, equipped with an advanced four-component radar complex, the S-500 Prometheus can detect targets from a distance of up to 1,930 kilometres. The combat range is reportedly up to 600 kilometres. The Russians claim that the reaction time to threats in the S-500 Prometheus has been significantly reduced compared to the S-400 systems, several of which deployed in Crimea have already been destroyed by the Ukrainians.
