By Gloria Nosa
In a major blow to Russian military infrastructure, Ukrainian forces have successfully destroyed a highly valuable and strategically important Russian radar system, dealing yet another setback to Moscow’s defensive and surveillance capabilities in the ongoing war.
According to Ukrainian military officials, the precision strike targeted the Predel-E over-the-horizon radar system—an advanced surveillance technology used by the Russian military for early detection of aerial and naval threats. The system, which reportedly costs over $200 million to develop and deploy, was obliterated during a carefully coordinated operation involving long-range missile strikes and reconnaissance drones.
The strike occurred in a region near the temporarily occupied Crimean Peninsula, a hotspot of military activity and one of Russia’s most fortified zones. Ukrainian sources say the destruction was verified through satellite imagery and drone footage, showing the radar facility engulfed in flames shortly after the attack.
Military analysts say the loss of this radar system will significantly impair Russia’s ability to detect incoming Ukrainian missile or drone strikes, giving Kyiv a tactical edge in the battles ahead. The radar was reportedly being used to monitor the western Black Sea and southern Ukraine—areas where Ukraine has been increasing pressure through naval drone assaults and precision strikes.
“This is not just a technical loss—it’s a symbolic one,” said a Western intelligence analyst. “Russia poured vast resources into deploying this kind of radar to create a surveillance buffer. Its destruction undermines their strategic assumptions.”
Ukraine’s military has not disclosed the exact method of the strike, citing operational security, but reports suggest that Western-supplied long-range weapons—possibly British Storm Shadow missiles or U.S.-supplied ATACMS—may have been used in the strike, launched from Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Russian state media has been largely silent or evasive on the incident, with some military bloggers confirming the radar’s destruction but criticizing Moscow’s vulnerability and lack of defense in the region.
This latest development comes amid a series of increasingly successful Ukrainian operations aimed at degrading Russia’s military technology and command infrastructure. In recent months, Ukraine has intensified efforts to target logistical hubs, command centers, and cutting-edge assets like the S-400 air defense systems and electronic warfare equipment.
As the war continues, the targeting of such high-value military assets reflects Ukraine’s evolving strategy to cripple Russia’s operational capabilities from within. With Western support still flowing and Kyiv’s tactical precision improving, more such strikes may follow in the coming weeks
