cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/11591121

Russian air defense troops appear to be using Chinese-designed shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, according to an analysis by Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi of footage aired on Russian state television.

The launchers were shown during an exercise by a mobile fire group of Russia’s 51st Air Defense Division in the Rostov region, in a segment broadcast by the state channel Rossiya 1 and shared on X by the account TheDeadDistrict. Mobile fire groups are small teams, often riding in pickup trucks, that Russia uses to hunt Ukrainian drones with machine guns and short-range missiles.

The soldiers in the report called the weapon “Iva.” But the launcher does not match any man-portable air defense system, or MANPADS, known to be in Russian service, Militarnyi reported Sept. 28. Russia’s own shoulder-fired missiles in current use include the Igla-S and the newer Verba.

...

Archived