During an inventory check at one of the military units of the Ministry of Defense stationed in Crimea, the absence of a launcher and two missile complexes for the "Strela-3M" MANPADS was discovered in the weapons depot. The commander of the military unit filed a corresponding statement with the police. UNIAN was informed of this by a source in law enforcement agencies.
The portable anti-aircraft missile complex "Strela-3M" belongs to the class of so-called small arms and is used to combat aerial objects at low altitudes. The "Strela" is not regarded as an effective weapon against military aircraft, however it is quite dangerous when used against helicopters and passenger planes, therefore it is considered in the world one of the most dangerous tools in the hands of terrorists. This is facilitated, in particular, by the compactness of the complex (it can practically be transported in a car, the missile weighs about 10 kilograms) and ease of operation. The "Strela-3M" entered service with the Soviet army in the last years of the USSR; it is considered an analog of the American "Stinger" missiles, with which the Afghans shot down Soviet helicopters.