Drones have successfully struck and damaged a 91N6 radar installation, part of the Russian S-400 air defence system, in temporarily occupied Crimea. The attack reportedly took place on 25 April near the city of Saky, with at least three drones involved in the operation.
Photos published by the Dosye Shpiona Telegram channel show that the radar’s tracking antenna was visibly damaged. Analysts believe the radar is no longer functional and will require significant repairs before being operational again. The images, taken after the drone strike, clearly reveal the severity of the destruction to the radar infrastructure.
The type of drones used in the operation has not been disclosed. As usual, Russian authorities have avoided publishing any official photos or acknowledging the damage when their military assets are struck, especially those of strategic value.
The 91N6 radar is a key component of the S-400 system, used to detect aircraft and missile threats over long distances. It features a dual-sided phased array antenna and is claimed by Russian sources to have a detection range of up to 600 kilometres.
The temporary loss of this radar unit significantly weakens Russian air defence coverage in the Crimean peninsula, potentially allowing more Ukrainian aerial assets to penetrate enemy airspace undetected. The S-400 is widely deployed by Russian forces to monitor and intercept threats, and any compromise to its supporting radar systems represents a substantial tactical advantage for Ukrainian forces.
Only days earlier, on 20 April, another Ukrainian drone successfully struck a mobile radar station in the Russian Kursk region. That strike, also reportedly by an aircraft-type drone, targeted a mobile decimeter-band radar, likely a P-15 or the upgraded P-19 model. The drone appeared to hit the equipment compartment directly, likely taking the radar system out of service.
The destruction of early warning systems limits the enemy’s ability to detect incoming drones or missiles, giving Ukraine an increasingly strategic edge in the ongoing war against the Russian dictator’s invading forces.
