Nuclear radar knocked out in Russia – points to Ukraine

Ukraine has reportedly knocked out an advanced radar station deep inside Russia.

It took five years to build and is designed to detect, for example, nuclear missiles from afar.

The attack may mean that Ukraine has crossed one of Putin’s red lines, writes Newsweek.

Several media outlets state that on Wednesday Ukrainian drones attacked the radar facility in the town of Kovylkino, located 68 miles into Russian territory in the sub-republic of Mordvinia.

RBC Ukraine writes that the attack was carried out by the Ukrainian intelligence service. The Russian Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, which is said to have sources in Putin’s security forces, also confirms the attack and describes it according to Newsweek as “successful”.

The radar is called “29B6 container” and was the only one of its kind in Russia. It took five years to build, cost the equivalent of more than one billion kroner and began to be used as late as 2019.

Many masters

The system consists of a large number of tall masts and a separate radio and command station. According to RBC Ukraine, it was the latter that was knocked out by the drones.

The facility is part of Russia’s surveillance system for early detection of incoming projectiles, such as ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. It is a so-called OTH-radar infocloseOTH-radarOver the horizon radar that uses reflection in the ionosphere around the curvature of the earth and can therefore reach further than conventional radar.

According to Newsweek, which refers to the state-controlled Russian news agency Tass, the “29B6 container” has a range of up to 300 miles. However, it has a “blind zone” in a radius of 90 miles closest to the masts, writes Ukrainian Defense Express. According to the newspaper, this may explain why it was placed so far into Russia but also how it could miss the attacking drones.

Russian media reported in 2020 that another “29B6 container” would be installed in the Kaliningrad enclave, giving Russia radar coverage across Europe.

But while waiting for that construction to be completed, Russia was completely dependent on the now decommissioned station in Mordvinia, writes Newsweek.

“It will be extremely difficult to fill the void,” wrote the VChK-OGPU.

“May have crossed Putin’s red line”

Newsweek also notes that the attack could mean that Ukraine has crossed one of the red lines laid down in the Russian nuclear doctrine, last updated in 2020 in a presidential decree from Vladimir Putin.

It states, among other things, that Russian nuclear bombs can be deployed in the event of “enemy impact on critical state or military facilities whose operational incapacity would lead to the nuclear forces’ response actions being put out of action”.

Russian representatives, including Putin himself, have several times since the invasion made verbal outbursts about nuclear weapons, something that has been heavily criticized in the outside world. However, the US has always been clear that there are no signs on the ground that Russia has stepped up its nuclear preparedness.