Ukrainian Forces destroy rare $250 million Russian radar system with HIMARS precision strike
Ukrainian military forces, utilizing HIMARS, successfully struck a high-value, rare target in Russian territory. The attack, believed to have involved GMLRS rockets, is evident in video footage showing an explosion over a radar system, showering it with thousands of tungsten pellets. This strike disabled the advanced Russian artillery reconnaissance system "1K148 Yastreb-AV," which costs approximately $250 million and is scarcely available in the Russian army. The drone recon footage capturing the strike was released by the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Strategic Command.
The rare counter-battery radar was detected using a surveillance drone, which guided the precision strike that took place in Donbas near the town of Zugres. Based on the footage, it's clear that the high-precision weapon, likely fired from an American M142 HIMARS, directly targeted the "Yastreb-AV". The accompanying explosion can be seen delivering thousands of tungsten pellets onto the radar system.
Following this hit, the costly Russian reconnaissance system was at least disabled and now requires significant repairs. Additionally, Ukrainian forces were able to destroy a TOR missile system depot in Yelenivka. This operation was executed by the 79th Air Assault Brigade, who tracked the Russian system using a drone that subsequently guided a HIMARS launch to its location. The exact hit penetrated an industrial building hosting the TOR system.
The likelihood is high that the TOR system was rendered inoperative either by a direct hit or from the resulting shrapnel. Previously, Ukrainian anti-aircraft fighters destroyed a Russian Su-25 aircraft near Avdiivka in Donbas.