Ukraine poked Russia on Thursday by destroying a radar site that is part of Russia’s strategic defense against nuclear weapons.
According to Bloomberg, the Armavir radar station covered parts of Crimea, a part of Ukraine-Russia grabbed in 2014 and which is used now to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
That strike was followed on Friday by Ukraine’s use of an American Army Tactical Missile system to hit a Russian satellite communication center, according to Defense Express.
The radar strike has significance and potential peril, according to The War Zone.
The radar stations near Armavir, Russia’s early warning systems for missiles and planes in Southern Russia, was struck by Ukrainian UAVs and got visibly damaged.
Coordinates:
44°55’32″N 40°59’02″E
Source: Telegram / TyskNIP pic.twitter.com/B9lZnIsGqu
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) May 24, 2024
The military-focused outlet said that the radar attack was the first time Russia’s strategic defense had been whacked by Ukraine.
The War Zone wrote that by doing so, the attack could mean that one of Russia’s nuclear red lines has been crossed.
Why would the Ukrainians attack a Russian early warning radar station?
On May 24, 2024, the Ukrainian SBU conducted a long-rage OWUAV strike on the “Veronezh-DM” Early Warning Radar Station in #Armavir, Krasnodar Krai, Russia, at geolocation 44.925287, 40.983854. Both of the… pic.twitter.com/tiEIrPgYUW
— OSINT (Uri Kikaski) 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@UKikaski) May 25, 2024
Will the war in Ukraine soon escalate?
The Armavir site helps warn Russia of a potential ballistic missile attack. With it not in operation, there is a hole in Russia’s ability to detect an attack.
“The conditions specifying the possibility of nuclear weapons use by the Russian Federation” include any “attack by [an] adversary against critical governmental or military sites of the Russian Federation, disruption of which would undermine nuclear forces response actions,” Russia’s Basic Principles of State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence state said in a 2020 statement.
The War Zone noted that the attack followed Tuesday’s tactical nuclear drills conducted by Russia in its Southern Military District, which borders Ukraine.
🇷🇺🇺🇦☢️On the prospects of a Ukrainian attack on Russia’s nuclear infrastructure
Let’s join the discussion that has unfolded online regarding a possible Ukrainian attack on the radar station that is part of the missile attack warning system near Armavir.
🔻If the attack attempt…
— Rybar Force (@rybar_force) May 25, 2024
In April, Ukraine struck another radar facility at which Russia based a 29B6 “Container” over-the-horizon radar, according to Newsweek.
That radar system is also part of Russia’s early warning system.
On April 17, Ukrainian drones targeted the Russian 29B6 Container over-the-horizon radar located near Kovylkino in Republic of Mordovia, around 600km from the border with Ukraine, sources in HUR MO told Ukrainska Pravda.
The 29B6 Container radar situated in Mordovia is also… pic.twitter.com/yrGvLO6xeQ
— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) April 17, 2024
The extent of the damage in the April attack was unclear, but had radar been put out of commission, it, like the more recent attack, could meet Russian conditions for nuclear war.
No damage assessment was released.
