Ukraine’s military intelligence agency HUR has reported that Ukrainian drones struck and damaged critical components of Russia’s S-400 Triumph air defense system in occupied Crimea. The attack, conducted by HUR’s ‘Ghosts’ unit, reportedly targeted and destroyed two 92N2E multifunctional control radars, two 91N6E detection radars, and an S-400 launcher, according to the agency. HUR emphasized the strategic importance of radar systems in air defense, stating that without them, anti-aircraft systems become ineffective. The claims were supported by video footage published on HUR’s Telegram channel, showcasing the trajectory of multiple drones as they approach and hit their targets.
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims, highlighting the difficulty of confirming such reports in an ongoing conflict. However, the attack is the latest in a series of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian military infrastructure in Crimea and other regions. Earlier this month, the Atesh partisan group reported that a Ukrainian drone strike had hit Russian military facilities near Simferopol, though the exact impact remains uncertain. This marks another significant development in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, with Kyiv continuing to target Moscow’s strategic capabilities in the region.
Russia has maintained an illegal occupation of Crimea since 2014, transforming the peninsula into a heavily militarized stronghold. Moscow uses the region to support its war in Ukraine, including launching missiles from the Black Sea and leveraging Crimea as a key logistics and transport hub. The Kerch Airport in Crimea has also been repurposed for military use, with Moscow-backed proxies transferring part of the airport’s land to the Russian Defense Ministry in spring 2025, according to an investigation by Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe.
While the financial effects of this attack are not immediately apparent, it underscores the intensifying nature of the conflict and the strategic efforts by Ukraine to undermine Russia’s military infrastructure. The incident adds to the broader narrative of a prolonged and complex war, with both sides continuing to escalate their military actions and strategic operations.