22 May 2026
(ILLUSTRATION: ua.krymr.com)
In recent months, Ukraine's defense forces have significantly weakened Russian air defense in the annexed Crimea by destroying dozens of radar stations. Experts note that Russia is unable to replace some of these radars quickly due to their high cost and lack of modern systems.
This was reported by Krym.Realii.
Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to systematically disable Russian radar stations in the annexed Crimea. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, only from the beginning of March to May 21, 24 radars were damaged on the peninsula, which ensured the operation of the Russian air defense system and airspace control.
One of the most high-profile attacks was the destruction of radar station 64N6E in Sevastopol, which ensured the operation of the S-300 and S-400 systems. Monitoring channels report that two months after the attack, the Russian military has not been able to restore the damaged system.
Military experts emphasize that among the affected systems were some of Russia's most expensive and modern radars, including the Nebo-U, which is estimated to cost about $100 million, as well as the Podlet, Kasta-2E2, and the latest Valdai systems designed to detect and suppress drones.
Experts believe that the massive destruction of such systems significantly weakens the capabilities of Russian air defense in Crimea. Due to the loss of modern radars, the Russian army is forced to either transfer equipment from other regions of Russia or use outdated Soviet-made stations.
On the night of May 16 and 17, the unmanned aerial systems of the Armed Forces of Ukraine conducted a series of strikes on military facilities of the Russian army in the temporarily occupied Crimea and three other regions of Ukraine. One of the key targets was the strategic secure communications hub of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the village of Myrnyi. Such facilities are used to coordinate the actions of Russian troops and control the fleet's forces.
Анна Бальчінос