Ukrainian drones hit critical Russian radar in Crimea

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) conducted a successful strike on the Nebo-SVU radar station belonging to Russian occupation forces in Crimea. According to Defense Express, drones developed by Ukrainian counterintelligence were used to destroy the enemy radar.

The Nebo-SVU radar, located near Armyansk, controlled a 380-kilometre front section, protecting strategic facilities in Crimea. After the drone attack, space intelligence recorded a shutdown of radar radiation. "The Russian radar was located near Armyansk and controlled a 380-kilometre-long section of the frontline, providing protection for Russian army facilities in Crimea. Allegedly, after the drone attack, space reconnaissance means recorded the radar radiation being turned off, and it did not resume after that," reports Army TV.

Nebo is a family of meter-band radars produced by the Nizhny Novgorod Research Institute of Radio Engineering (NNIIRT). The Nebo-SVU radar, intended for ground forces, has a fighter detection range of up to 380 kilometres. "Nebo-SV" is the version intended for ground forces, and "Nebo-SVU" is a modernised three-coordinate station. It is a fully autonomous radar that transmits analogue and digital data to air defence systems.

In recent weeks, the Ukrainian Defence Forces have repeatedly attacked Russian radar stations. Last week, they struck the Voronezh-DM radar in Krasnodar, part of the early missile warning system. The over-the-horizon Voronezh-DM radar was damaged as a result of a Ukrainian drone attack.

Another attack damaged the Voronezh-M radar near Orsk in the Orenburg region, which is 1,500 kilometres from the front line.

The recent actions of the SBU and the Ukrainian Defence Forces demonstrate their ability to precisely strike key elements of enemy military infrastructure, which could significantly impact the course of the conflict. This is especially true since, in late June and early July, F-16 fighters are expected to start flying in Ukraine.