Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SOF) have destroyed a Russian Kasta-2E2 mobile radar station during a recent drone strike, according to a report by the SOF. This advanced radar, known for its state-of-the-art capabilities in controlling airspace and detecting low-altitude air targets, was located during aerial reconnaissance in one of the combat areas.
The Kasta-2E2 radar system was first spotted on Ukrainian territory in 2021 in the occupied region of Luhansk Oblast, where it was deployed by Russian forces to counteract Ukrainian UAVs. The SOF operatives, utilizing one of their latest drone technologies, successfully targeted the radar, capturing the strike on video. The exact location of the recent strike was not disclosed.
Ukrainian drone operators hit a ‘no-analogue’ Kasta-2E2 radar system in the Luhansk region.
Despite the fact that the system was designed to control airspace and identify air targets at low altitudes, it couldn’t survive a drone attack.📹: @SOF_UKR pic.twitter.com/j3fdYovhK6
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) June 3, 2024
The destruction of the Kasta-2E2 radar is a significant blow to Russian air defense capabilities. This radar is particularly designed for comprehensive airspace control, providing detailed flight data to anti-aircraft and air force control systems, which are crucial for intercepting enemy aircraft. Weakening Russian air defenses is seen as a key objective for Ukraine ahead of the anticipated arrival of F-16 fighter jets later this year.
In related developments, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s Akhmat military unit has been deployed to northeastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region amid Russia’s recent offensive. The unit’s commander, Major General Apti Alaudinov, confirmed the deployment and stated that Akhmat fighters have been assigned to key sites along the entire line of contact. This deployment is part of a broader strategy by Moscow, which launched a new land offensive in early May around the Kharkiv region, pushing Ukrainian forces back by 8-9 kilometers according to Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov.
Ukraine’s military noted that Russia continues to send additional regiments and brigades to reinforce its troops in northern Kharkiv. The SOF’s recent success in targeting the Kasta-2E2 radar underscores Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to counter these reinforcements and degrade Russian military capabilities.
This operation follows other significant drone strikes by Ukrainian forces on Russian air defense assets, including a February 2024 strike near the Russian-Ukrainian border and a September 2023 operation that eliminated a similar radar system in Kursk Oblast, Russia.
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