Ukraine continues using Tunguska air-defense systems against drones
Ukraine continues deploying Soviet-era 2S6 Tunguska systems against Russian drones. Merkur.de reported that their 30mm cannons can engage jet-powered drones, while Ukrainian footage showed crews operating the system in August 2026.
By DoomRadar · Published on DoomRadar . Updated .
Places in the report
- Ukraine[1]
Countries named in the cited reporting. Highlighting does not show the area affected. Map: Natural Earth.
How the effects could reach youConditional effects
Based on one source with available article excerpts. Source-linked claims are not independent confirmation.
Event date: Ukrainian General Staff footage showed a Tunguska crew operating in August 2026; earlier use was reported in 2024. [1]
What happened
The 2S6 Tunguska is a Soviet-era mobile air-defense vehicle that remains in Ukrainian service despite appearing infrequently in battlefield footage. [1]
References for this detail (1)
- Ukraine-Krieg: Tunguska erledigt, was Gepard und Skynex nicht könnenmerkur.de · Article published: Sep 5, 2026, 2:47 AM UTC
Merkur.de reported that the system’s 30mm guns can fight jet-powered drones, a capability it described as limited among Ukraine’s current air-defense assets. [1]
References for this detail (1)
- Ukraine-Krieg: Tunguska erledigt, was Gepard und Skynex nicht könnenmerkur.de · Article published: Sep 5, 2026, 2:47 AM UTC
Footage released by Ukraine’s General Staff in August 2026 showed a Tunguska crew. The soldiers said they had engaged Shahed drones as well as reconnaissance drones. [1]
References for this detail (1)
- Ukraine-Krieg: Tunguska erledigt, was Gepard und Skynex nicht könnenmerkur.de · Article published: Sep 5, 2026, 2:47 AM UTC
The account places Tunguska alongside German Gepard systems rather than presenting it as a replacement. It also mentions Skynex and planned Skyranger-35 deliveries. [1]
References for this detail (1)
- Ukraine-Krieg: Tunguska erledigt, was Gepard und Skynex nicht könnenmerkur.de · Article published: Sep 5, 2026, 2:47 AM UTC
Context from the sources
The planned Skyranger-35 vehicles are described as using modern sensors and programmable airburst ammunition intended to improve effects against small air targets. [1]
What happened before, and what is different now
A documented earlier episode helps explain a possible mechanism. Its outcome does not predict this event.
The earlier episode
Reports in 2024 had already described Tunguska systems being used against Russian drones in Ukraine. [1]
What connects them
Both episodes concern Ukraine using the Soviet-era system for counter-drone air defense. [1]
What is different
The 2026 account specifically highlights engagement of jet-powered drones and identifies Ukrainian General Staff footage from August, while the excerpt gives no comparable capability detail for 2024.
What to watch here
The comparison shows continued reliance on the platform, but the earlier reporting does not establish how frequently or successfully it is being used now.
Explore the sources and reporting timeline
1 source links · 1 domains
These counts describe the references, not independent confirmations. Different outlets can repeat the same original report.
Source timeline
Oldest to newest among the available source dates, not a chronology of the incident. Article publication dates come from the source; other recorded dates may reflect when a link was found.
- [1] Ukraine-Krieg: Tunguska erledigt, was Gepard und Skynex nicht könnenmerkur.deReferenced for: detail 1, detail 2, detail 3, detail 4
Questions answered by the reporting
Does Tunguska replace newer Ukrainian air defenses?
No. The Ukrainian military is also described as using Gepard and Skynex systems and awaiting Skyranger-35 vehicles. [1]
What this could mean for you
Drone-defense coverage could remain uneven across protected areas.
The account describes a continuing mix of older and newer systems, with no deployment numbers or coverage data.
Reported basis: [1] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: If Russian drone attacks continue to require more air-defense assets than Ukraine can deploy.
Possible consequences, not a forecast. Their relevance depends on your location and the conditions above.
For your country
Choose a country to check how this event could affect you.
What changes the outlook
Risk increases if…
Russian drone attacks increase faster than Ukraine can allocate available air-defense systems.
Planned newer systems arrive late or provide less coverage than expected.
Pressure eases if…
Additional Skyranger-35 systems enter service as planned.
Tunguska, Gepard and Skynex assets remain available for coordinated counter-drone defense.
Still unclear
The number of operational Tunguska vehicles and their current deployment locations are not established.
The reported footage does not establish how many drones the system has destroyed or how often it is used.
Market implications
Market impact
Sources (1)
References for the reported details. Separate links do not necessarily mean independent confirmation.
Available excerpt
Eine sowjetische Flugabwehr-Waffe erlebt in der Ukraine ein Comeback: Die Tunguska kann sogar schnelle, düsengetriebene Drohnen abschießen. Kiew – Sie stammt aus der Sowjetzeit und…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
First tracked by DoomRadar: . AI-assisted analysis · . Based on linked headlines and available excerpts. Methodology · Report an error.