Ukraine's Drones Cripple Russian Air Defenses, Causing More Internal Target Strikes

By systematically targeting and destroying dozens of Russian air defenses, including launch sites, electronic warfare systems and radars, Ukraine has now exponentially expanded the number of military and economic targets it can hit inside Russia. 

And its recent attacks on air bases, ammunition plants and oil/gas facilities are proof of the strategy's impact. JL 

Euromaidan Press reports:

The Ukrainians continued their campaign of striking Russia’s air defense network to open a path for attacks on critical infrastructure, and raised it to a new record intensity. Along the frontline they knocked out eleven different radar systems, along with the command posts of two others, four Pantsir-S1 air defense systems and a Buk launcher, effectively blinding Russian air defense efforts. Across Crimea they destroyed two S-300 launchers, three Pantsir-S1 air defense systems, a Mi-8 helicopter, and two rare Niobium-SV electronic warfare systems. 

Today, there are a lot of important updates from the Russian Federation.

Here, before the ceasefire on energy infrastructure could be fully ratified, Ukraine seized the moment to maximize the damage to Russia’s critical infrastructure, squeezing in the last timely strikes. As drones and missiles strike deep into Russian territory, Ukrainians prepared by completely devastating the Russian air shield, allowing for the future swift destruction of hundreds of other targets not protected under the soon-to-be-signed treaty. 

The Ukrainians continued their campaign of striking Russia’s air defense network to open a path for attacks on critical infrastructure, and raised it to a new record intensity. 

They first destroyed four Pantsir-S1 systems in Belgorod with FPV drones, creating gaps in Russian defenses. This allowed further FPV strikes on a Niobium-SV electronic warfare system, which typically jams large drones and missiles. 

A screenshot from the RFU News YouTube channel, 24 March.

With it disabled, Ukraine deployed long-range drones to hit an air defense ammunition depot supplying S-300 and S-400 regiments, preventing long-range systems from intercepting Ukrainian drones targeting the deep rear. 

The Ukrainians further struck Russian air defenses along the frontline area, most notably in Zaporizhzhia, where they used FPV kamikaze drones to destroy a Buk M3 launcher and the electronic warfare system protecting it.

The Ukrainian military intelligence service, after the previous successful operation, launched a massive operation to strike dozens of targets across Crimea with FPV kamikaze drones launched from naval drones in the Black Sea. Footage confirms the destruction of two S-300 launchers, three Pantsir-S1 air defense systems, a Mi-8 helicopter, and two rare Niobium-SV electronic warfare systems. 

Additionally, they knocked out eleven different radar systems, along with the command posts of two others, effectively blinding Russian air defense efforts, as these radars are designed to detect low- and medium-flying objects, such as long-range drones and cruise missiles.

Exploiting large gaps in Russia’s air defense, Ukrainians launched over 20 strike drones at the strategic Engels airbase in Saratov. The attack triggered massive explosions, as it hit an ammunition storage site housing long-range ballistic and cruise missiles used by Russian strategic bombers. Consequently, the Russian Air Force was unable to launch large-scale missile strikes on Ukraine ahead of the anticipated ceasefire on attacks against energy infrastructure.

A screenshot from the RFU News YouTube channel, 24 March.

With the Russian air defenses mostly overcome and breached, the Ukrainians had enough time before the ratification of the ceasefire, allowing them to launch massive strikes on the remaining oil refineries still on their list.

Geolocated footage confirms that Lyutyi drones struck an oil pumping facility in Saratov. These slow-moving drones are typically easy targets for air defenses, but their success in reaching Saratov, nearly 700 km from the Ukrainian border, indicates the effective suppression and destruction of the Russian air defense network.

 

Ukrainian drones also struck a gas compressor station in Tambov, a key component of the Druzhba pipeline supplying gas to Central Europe, resulting in a complete halt to operations.

Additionally, Ukrainians targeted refineries and oil depots in the Rostov and Krasnodar regions. Ukrainians also struck the Lukoil refinery near Sarepta railway station in Volgograd, located near a major railway station that directly supplies Russian units on the frontline. 

Russia uses the revenue from gas and oil exports to sustain military operations, payouts to families of killed and wounded Russian soldiers, and massive signing bonuses for new recruits, making these strikes dangerous for the sustainability of their war effort. 

The final blow came when Ukrainian drones successfully infiltrated Moscow’s airspace to strike the CHP-16 power plant. This facility supplies electricity to over 1.5 million residents and industrial sites in the city’s northwestern districts. 

A screenshot from the RFU News YouTube channel, 24 March.

Despite Russian efforts to fortify air defenses around the capital, the constant Ukrainian targeting of Russian air defense assets, and the sheer number of destroyed radars, electronic warfare systems, and anti-air missile launchers have left the Russian air shield a fraction of what it once was.

Overall, Ukrainian drone strikes have destroyed a significant number of Russian air defense systems and radars both along the front line and within the rear areas in Russia. This highlights the severe degradation of the Russian air shield and Russia’s ability to effectively defend strategic military and industrial assets in deep rear areas, which won’t be protected under the new ceasefire.