Ukraine Destroys $100 Million Russian Radar as Strikes on Russian Military Infrastructure Intensify

Ukrainian forces have systematically degraded Russia’s air defense and radar network over the past three weeks, culminating in the destruction of a $100 million Nebo-M radar system near the Millerovo airfield in Rostov Oblast, according to a video released by the 429th Achilles Separate Unmanned Systems Brigade on 15 September.

The strike, carried out jointly with the 43rd Separate Artillery Brigade, used a RAM-2X loitering munition at a range of approximately 175 km from the front line. The Nebo-M radar is a mobile system designed to detect aerodynamic and ballistic targets at medium and high altitudes, including drones and cruise missiles. The 429th Brigade stated that the radar can detect aircraft up to 500–600 km away and low-observable assets at 200–400 km (source).

Millerovo airfield, located about 40 km from the Ukrainian border, is used by Russian forces to launch Shahed strike and decoy drones against eastern, central, and northern Ukraine. The loss of the Nebo-M will reduce Russia’s ability to detect Ukrainian drones and missiles approaching that area. The Ukrainian military did not disclose the exact date of the strike.

This hit is the latest in a series of coordinated attacks on Russian military infrastructure inside Russia and occupied Ukrainian territory since late August. On 30–31 August, Ukrainian forces struck multiple targets, including a radar station in Desnyansky (Bryansk Oblast), a command-and-staff vehicle of an S-400 Triumf air defense system near Ploskobukreivka (Bryansk Oblast), a communications hub in Zimovnoe (Belgorod Oblast), a UAV ground control station near Huliaipole (Zaporizhzhia Oblast), and logistics warehouses in Kyr-Bailar (Crimea), Verkhnokamianka (Luhansk Oblast), and Popovo-Lezhachi (Kursk Oblast). The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported the strikes on 31 August, adding that the extent of damage was being assessed (source).

The pattern continued into early September. On 5 September, the General Staff reported strikes on a radar station, an electronic warfare system, and a signal repeater in Bryansk Oblast (source). Separately, the Ukrainian National Guard released video footage of a rare Russian electronic warfare system being destroyed, though its specific type was not identified (source). Two days earlier, on 3 September, the Ukrainian Navy struck a Russian support vessel in the port of Sochi, adding a naval dimension to the campaign (source).

The strikes are part of a deliberate strategy to reduce Russia’s ability to protect its rear areas, launch drones, and maintain logistics. The Nebo-M radar, in particular, is a high-value asset: its loss creates a coverage gap that Ukraine can exploit for further deep strikes. Russia has also continued to suffer heavy personnel losses. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russian losses on 2 September amounted to 1,390 soldiers killed and wounded in the previous 24 hours, bringing the total estimated personnel losses since 24 February 2022 to over 1.49 million (source).

Ukrainian forces are now able to strike targets at distances of up to 180 km using systems like the RAM-2X, which carries a 2.7–3.5 kg explosively formed penetrator warhead and can loiter for over two hours. The destruction of the S-400 command vehicle on 31 August and the Nebo-M radar on 15 September represent two of the most expensive single pieces of equipment lost by Russia in recent weeks. Each Nebo-M is estimated to cost $100 million, while an S-400 system costs roughly $500 million per battery.

The cumulative effect of these strikes is forcing Russia to redeploy air defense assets from other sectors, potentially thinning coverage over critical supply lines and command nodes. For Ukraine, the campaign demonstrates a growing ability to project power deep into Russian territory, disrupting operations before they reach the front line.