Second S-400 system destroyed in Crimea: details of complex strike and full video
Ukraine is methodically dismantling Russia’s air defense system in the still occupied Crimea, and the destruction of each S-400 is of great importance, because in fact Russia does not have that many of them.
Ukraine’s defense forces have successfully destroyed the second S-400 air defense missile system in the still-occupied Crimea thanks to a complex attack that hit most of the SAMs.
While the first case occurred near Olenivka on Cape Tarkhankut, the second case has now been more precisely localized – the area between the villages of Molochne, Uyutne and Zaozerne. This is evidenced by OSINTtechnical’s analysis based on high-quality satellite imagery.
Defense Express notes that this position is relatively new and does not correspond to the regular positioning area of the 12th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment, which is 4.5 km to the north. Among the interesting details of this position is that it is located next to the Yevpatoria aeration station, which was supposed to provide “the most comfortable” conditions for service.
Also, an extremely detailed video from local residents shows how the attack on the S-400 system was carried out. It recorded the arrival of both kamikaze drones and cruise missiles.
Moments showing Ukrainian attack on Russian S-400 air defense system near Yevpatoriya, Crimea last night. pic.twitter.com/I1MQh0htEr
– Clash Report (@clashreport) September 14, 2023
It should also be understood that the number of S-400s in Russia is not as large as it might seem. The re-equipment with this system was accompanied by regular propaganda statements, which revealed that about 75-80 S-400 divisions were put on combat duty as of 2021.
At the same time, the regular divisional structure of the S-400 includes (in the declared version) 96L6E and 91N6E surveillance radars, a low-altitude 92N6E and a 55K6E command post, which control 12 launchers, organized in batteries of 2-4 launchers and one 92N6E command radar.
Moreover, prior to the full-scale Russian invasion of Crimea, Russia was able to deploy only six S-400 divisions – four in the 12th Air Defense Regiment and two in the 18th Air Defense Regiment. And it is certainly not a fact that all of them are still on the peninsula, and have not been partially transferred to the front, where they could have been destroyed otherwise.
At the same time, unconfirmed information has already emerged that during the attack, kamikaze drones hit radar stations, and then Neptune cruise missiles completed the job. Prior to that, it was the adapted Neptune that hit the S-400 near Olenivka, although the NSDC officially said it was a new Ukrainian missile.
At the same time, the second destruction of the S-400 in a relatively short period of time shows the extremely methodical and balanced work being done by the Ukrainian military. At the same time, it began not with Olenivka, but with attacks on the positions of the 3rd RF Radio Regiment in June, when an unknown and expensive radar located under a radio-transparent dome was hit, or even in April with a possibly effective strike on a similar facility of military unit 66571 near Feodosia.
That is, the air defense of the still-occupied Crimea is being gradually dismantled, and the GUR’s operation on the so-called Boyko towers is an obvious part of this. The enemy also used them as radar posts.
And this is what allows Ukraine to methodically work with remote weapons, disabling and destroying Russian ships, bases and permanent deployments in the still-occupied Crimea.
