Iran disgraced Russia by refusing to buy its air defense systems after Israeli precision strikes

Israel once again proved its technological and military superiority by destroying four Russian S-300 systems located on Iranian territory in a recent attack. After that officials in Tehran abandoned plans to purchase more modern S-400s, citing that their own systems have “better performance” writes The Moscow Times citing an unnamed representative of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Israel not only demonstrated its military power, but also emphasized that the Russian defense industry is in a state of deep crisis. As he writes The Moscow Times, “Israeli air strikes have become a disgrace for Russian weapons”.

The failure of the Russian S-300 in Iran

On the night of October 26, 2024, the IDF carried out a massive attack on key installations in Iran. About 100 aircraft were involved in the operation, including F-35 stealth fighters. Targets included ballistic missile production facilities, research centers, and Russian S-300 systems.

Results of the attack:

• Destroyed all four S-300 systemsincluding three who were on combat duty.
• Incapacitated 12 installationswhere fuel for ballistic missiles was produced.
• Destroyed secret research centerrelated to Iran's nuclear program.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated:

“In April, we destroyed one of the four S-300 batteries around Tehran. The second attack eliminated the remaining three batteries, destroyed additional installations and dealt a blow to the ability to produce missiles.”

This operation was one of the largest in the history of Israeli aviation and demonstrated its ability to overcome even complex air defense systems.

Why did Iran abandon the S-400?

After the failure of the S-300, Tehran stated that it does not need the Russian S-400. A senior representative of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Davoud Sheikhian, noted:

“Our current systems have much greater capabilities than the S-400.”

Earlier, in August, Iran requested Russia to supply these systems. As reported The New York Timesthe request was made during Sergei Shoigu’s visit to Tehran. However, after the failure of the S-300 and the demonstration of the inability of Russian systems to protect even themselves, Tehran decided to abandon cooperation.

Israeli strikes as a catalyst

Israeli strikes not only destroyed Russian systems, but also discredited them in the international arena. Sheikhian's words about the superiority of Iranian technology look like an attempt to save face, especially considering that Iranian air defenses also proved unable to withstand Israeli attacks.

Consequences for the Russian military-industrial complex

The crisis in the Russian defense industry is aggravated by both the war in Ukraine and failures in international markets. Iran's refusal to purchase the S-400 was another blow to Russia's reputation as an arms exporter.

The main problems of the Russian military-industrial complex:

• Decline in exports: According to SIPRI, Russian arms sales fell by 52% in 2023.
• Production problems: The military-industrial complex is working at its limit, which leads to delivery delays.
• Falling trust: The failures of Russian air defense systems undermine their reputation.

International Institute for Strategic Studies expert Douglas Barry notes:

“The failure of Russian air defense systems in Iran will raise questions among other customers. Russia will face demands to explain why its technology was so ineffective.”

Table: Losses of Russian systems in Iran

Conclusion

The failure of the Russian S-300 systems in Iran and Tehran’s refusal of the S-400 were a serious blow to Russia’s reputation. Israel has once again proven its superiority in military technology, demonstrating that even advanced defense systems cannot withstand its aircraft.

As he writes The Moscow Times“events in Iran emphasized the crisis of the Russian military-industrial complex and the effectiveness of Israeli technology.”

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