During the Wagner Group’s ‘surge’ in Libya in 2018–2020, the Russian mercenaries found themselves confronted with a particularly dangerous opponent in the form of Turkish attack UAVs like the Bayraktar TB.2. These are known to have destroyed several aircraft of the Free Libyan Air Force and dozens of technicals. To counter the Bayraktars, in early 2020 Wagner acquired about two dozen Pantsir S1 SHORADs from the UAE. Mounted on German MAN XS 45 8x8 trucks, and comprising a combination of two 2A38M 30mm automatic guns and 12 surface-to-air missiles, these were painted in sand overall, and expected to clear the sky of the Turkish UAVs. The idea did not work: the TB.2s destroyed up to 20 Pantsirs, and helped in the capture of several, together with their operators’ manuals. (Artwork by David Bocquelet)