Reports from local media indicate that a recent Ukrainian air strike in Crimea, a region annexed by Russia, targeted a crucial Russian military base. The attack involved missiles provided by the United States and successfully hit two air defense systems and a radar.
According to ASTRA’s Telegram channel, 12 ATACMS rockets were fired by Kyiv forces in Crimea, with seven being intercepted by regional emergency services.
With ongoing efforts to reclaim the Black Sea Peninsula, attacks on Crimea have intensified amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine led by President Vladimir Putin, which began in February 2022, when Moscow annexed the region in 2014.
ASTRA reported the destruction of two S-400 air defense systems and a station radar at the base near Sevastopol in Crimea. Additionally, damage to a radar station in Cape Fiolent was reported, along with incidents such as shrapnel damaging roofs and windows of houses, causing a forest fire, but no injuries were reported.
These events follow a recent announcement by the Ukrainian military regarding the destruction of two Russian S-300/S-400 air defense radar systems in Crimea.
An analysis from the Institute for the Study of War in the US suggested that Ukraine may be aiming to weaken Russian air defenses, potentially to enhance the use of manned airpower in the future.
The think tank noted Ukrainian efforts to degrade Russian air defenses in preparation for the arrival of F-16 fighter jets, expected to commence deliveries in limited quantities during the summer and fall of 2024.
The report emphasized the importance of successfully degrading Russian air defense capabilities to enable Ukraine to effectively utilize its newly acquired aircraft and enhance its military capabilities.