MOSCOW, October 1. /TASS/. A small-size missile for the air defense system Tor-M2 is being created in Russia as a counter-weapon against tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), the commander-in-chief of Russia's ground forces, General of the Army Oleg Salyukov, told the government-published daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta in an interview.

"Currently the air defense system Tor-M2 is the most effective means against tactical drones. The cost of one guided air defense missile is way above the cost of a small-size drone. For this reason a relatively inexpensive small missile is being developed for this system," Salyukov said, adding that the 57-mm air defense artillery system Derivatsiya-PVO was about to be finalized.

He stressed that strategic and operative drones were typical targets for the ground forces' air defenses.

"The existing multi-echelon air defense system guarantees effective protection from them by and large," Salyukov said.

On Thursday, October 1, Russia's ground forces mark their professional holiday, established in 2006.