PUBLISHED on August 11, 2025, 10:09 AM EDT – Key Points and Summary – A Ukrainian drone strike in Crimea on August 8 destroyed the advanced 98L6 “Yenisei” radar, a key component of Russia’s new S-500 “Prometey” air and missile defense system.
-The elite GUR special forces unit, which carried out the attack, initially believed it was targeting a less advanced S-400 radar.
-The destruction of this rare and valuable asset, one of the few ever produced, represents a significant battlefield loss for Moscow.
-The strike has “punched a hole” in Russia’s air defense shield over the occupied peninsula, leaving critical infrastructure like the Kerch Bridge more vulnerable.
Russian Forces in Crimea Lose Their Only S-500 Radar to Ukraine Strike
WARSAW, POLAND – On 8 August, a drone strike by Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Service (GUR) is reported to have destroyed one of the only Almaz-Antei air defense systems conglomerate’s S-500 “Prometey” air and missile defense system radars.
The unit was in service with Russia’s Aerospace Forces (VKS) and was one of the few units ever produced.
The radar set was deployed in conjunction with S-400 air defense units in the occupied region of Crimea, according to the Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi.
The report was based on information from the open-source intelligence community CyberBoroshno. Video footage released by the GUR shows drone strikes that were carried out by the special forces unit “Prymary” against radar installations on the occupied peninsula.
In an unexpected development, the GUR special unit initially thought it was targeting one of the S-400 batteries but later discovered that they had stumbled onto one the proverbial “jewels in the crown” of the Russian military.
“Yesterday’s video from the GUR drew our attention to the destruction of a 96L6 radar from the S-400 system—except it wasn’t a 96L6,” CyberBoroshno analysts wrote on their site. “We analyzed the visual features of the target and can say that this is the latest 98L6 ‘Yenisei’ radar, which is the standard radar for the S-500 ‘Prometey’ system.”
Longest Range Intercept Ever
In May 2018, Russia stunned the world with the longest-ever range test-fire intercept ever recorded for an air defense unit.
After the test, US intelligence reported that in a test firing at the Kapustin Yar test range, the (at the time) brand-new S-500 had intercepted a target at a range of 300 miles, which was 50 miles greater than any other previously recorded test of its kind.
State trials for this 98L6 “Yenisei” S-500 radar were then conducted between 2020 and 2021.
Following the successful completion of those trials, the S-500 was then reportedly officially accepted into service in April 2021.
Sources from Russian industry have claimed the S-400 96L6 radar operates with a multi-transmit/receive element Active Electronic Scanning Array (AESA) antenna.
Among other improvements over the previous model, the radar’s modes and its frequency hopping capability provides it with a high level of jamming resistance.
The S-500 Is A Beast of An Air Defense System…
The S-500’s 98L6 radar can reportedly acquire and track aerodynamic and ballistic targets at ranges of up to 373 miles and at altitudes up to 62 miles.
Data on any aspect change in any target is then transmitted to the command post/battle manager unit within the battery for use by other air defense components.
Visually, the S-500’s 98L6 “Yenisei” radar externally resembles the Russian 96L6 radar.
Both radars are mounted on the same four-axle MZKT chassis and are of very similar configuration. They both utilize rotating antenna units and an equipment container mounted on the vehicle’s platform.
The two systems differ in the design of the antenna.
With the 96L6, the main antenna panel is split into two sections.
But the “Yenisei” radar can operate not only in a 360-degree surveillance mode, but it also has a narrow-sector mode, which is a boost for its performance against ballistic targets.
The S-500 fires several types of interceptors. These include the 40N6M for use against aircraft and cruise missiles, and the new 77N6 and 77N6-N1 to counter ballistic missiles or satellites.
The 40N6M can be launched against targets at ranges of 249 miles, and the 77N6 series interceptors reportedly at ranges of 311-373 miles.
A Hole in the Air Defense Umbrella
CyberBoroshno reported that in Crimea, the S-500 radar has also been deployed alongside the S-400 system and was supposed to be a “plus-up” for the Russian air defense umbrella on the peninsula.
Analysts at the open-source site have been working to determine the exact coordinates of where the GUR drone struck the S-500 battery, to identify which S-400 air defense complex the radar was operating with at the time of its destruction.
Its loss deprives the Russian units in Crimea of the early-warning function that this radar was designed to perform.
A Big Loss for Russia in the Ukraine War
The loss of the S-500’s “Yenisei” radar is one of the first known battlefield losses of any component of the S-500 system.
By taking it out, Ukraine has “punched a hole in Russia’s air defense shield over Crimea, making it harder for Moscow to spot and respond to incoming threats in time,” read one report on the GUR drone strike.
These kinds of attacks by Ukraine are an example of Kyiv’s strategy of hitting critical assets of the Russian military to disrupt their ability to operate in a coordinated manner.
These precision strike operations are designed to neutralize high-value assets that cannot be easily replaced.
In the case of the S-500 radar, additional units cannot be manufactured at this time due to sanctions that prohibit Russia from purchasing Western components.
This is a permanent loss of capability to Moscow’s air defense capability in Crimea and leaves the infamous Kerch bridge, which connects Crimea with mainland Russia, vulnerable to attack.
About the Author: Reuben F. Johnson
Reuben F. Johnson has thirty-six years of experience analyzing and reporting on foreign weapons systems, defense technologies, and international arms export policy. Johnson is the Director of Research at the Casimir Pulaski Foundation. He is also a survivor of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. He worked for years in the American defense industry as a foreign technology analyst and later as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Defense, the Departments of the Navy and Air Force, and the governments of the United Kingdom and Australia. In 2022-2023, he won two awards in a row for his defense reporting. He holds a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University and a master’s degree from Miami University in Ohio, specializing in Soviet and Russian studies. He lives in Warsaw.
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David
November 14, 2025 at 7:45 am
Wow, what a desperate attempt. Who would say tuat the European countries would go with such propaganda. Yes, Ukraine said they are downing 90% of the Russian missiles and we believed them blindly. Turned out they had never such effectiveness amd nowadays Patriot system is effective only 6%. Rubio admitted that every system is being destroyed within a week of delivery. We also claimed how Kinzhal were downed, and only because Ukraine government said so. No proof, no evidence, nothing. But because it suits our narrative we bought it, right? Hpw when Russia wipes off NATO equipment they always have video evidence and Ukraine can’t provide even physically evidence? Maybe because nowadays we use propaganda more than Russians?
Ukraine destroyed their only radar, but S500 is still deployed and working.
I myself live in the Europe, a NATO country, but I refuse to be dumb. Simple as that. Such propaganda brought us nowhere.