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Drone Strike in Crimea Destroys Russia’s $60M Kasta-2E2 Radar System
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
A rare Russian long-range radar system worth an estimated $60 million was destroyed earlier this month in occupied Crimea, according to monitoring group Crimean Wind on August 19.
The strike, which occurred between August 6 and 11 near the village of Khutir outside Yevpatoria in the Saky district, appears to have targeted a “Kasta-2E2” radar station, sources told the outlet.
“An attack on a former air defense position in the area of Khutir near Yevpatoria took place between August 6 and 11. As a result of the strike, most likely by drones, the expensive Kasta-2E2 radar was hit. Several indicators point to this,” Crimean Wind reported.
The monitoring group noted that the radar had remained in place at the site until the strike, after which a fire was recorded nearby.
Satellite images then showed a camouflaged object of identical size and shape as the radar, but sources said the system itself stopped transmitting after the attack.
Why the Kasta-2E2 matters
The Kasta-2E2 radar is designed for use by Russian air defense divisions, typically deployed at command posts to support Tor surface-to-air missile regiments. Its primary mission is to detect aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and drones.
The system can monitor airspace up to 150 kilometers away and as high as 6 kilometers. It can simultaneously track up to 50 targets. Depending on the antenna height, its detection range varies from 30 to 44 kilometers.
The cost of a Kasta-2E2 is reported to start at $60 million, making its destruction a significant loss for Russia’s air defense capabilities.
Russia’s use of the radar
Russia has positioned Kasta-2E2 systems close to the Ukrainian border since before the full-scale invasion. On February 15, 2022—just days before launching the war—Moscow deployed one of the radars about 11 kilometers from the Kharkiv region to monitor Ukrainian airspace.
Ukraine has successfully targeted these radars multiple times. On August 14, counterintelligence officers from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), working with the military, located and guided artillery fire onto another system in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Мінус шістдесят мільйонів доларів 💰
— Повернись живим (@BackAndAlive) March 6, 2025
За даними СБУ – це тільки стартова ціна російської РЛС «Каста», яку виявив та допоміг уразити безпілотник, на який ви донатили!
Аеророзвідка 43-ї артилерійської бригади, яка знайшла ціль та підтвердила ураження, отримала від Фонду допомоги… pic.twitter.com/AyHwmfTnZd
Earlier, Ukraine’s Armed Forces successfully targeted and disabled a Russian Kasta radar station worth $60 million with a high-precision strike.
The radar system was spotted by aerial reconnaissance teams from Ukraine’s 43rd Artillery Brigade on the front lines. After confirming its location, coordinates were relayed to senior command, which authorized the strike.
Based on the footage, the strike was likely carried out using US-supplied HIMARS with precision-guided munitions.
