Russian Radar Coverage Near Finland Appears to Thin as Ukraine Targets Air Defenses

Russia has likely begun pulling some low-altitude radar systems away from its border with Finland as losses in Ukraine strain its air-defense network, according to Militarnyi on March 30.

The Ukrainian outlet reported a visible reduction in Russian Ka-2E2 and Podlyot-K1 radar systems along the Russia-Finland border.

Militarnyi noted that several former radar positions now appear abandoned, with no clear signs of active use.

The systems in question are designed to detect low-flying targets, a role that has become increasingly important as Ukraine expands its use of long-range drones and precision strikes against Russian military sites.

In a post cited by the report, OSINT analyst Athene Noctua wrote, “So far, a map where Kasta-2E2 and a Podlet-K1 have been missing along the Finnish border.”

The observation was presented as part of a broader effort to track gaps in Russia’s radar coverage near NATO territory.

The reported redeployment comes after repeated Ukrainian strikes on the same radar classes. In November 2024, Ukrainian military intelligence reported destroying one Kasta-2E2 and two Podlyot systems in occupied Crimea, while in early March 2026, Ukrainian forces also reported hits on Podlyot-K1 and Kasta-2E2 systems in coordinated strikes.

More earlier reporting showed Moscow rebuilding military infrastructure near the Finnish border, but the apparent thinning of radar coverage suggests the Kremlin is being forced to balance its NATO-facing posture against mounting battlefield attrition in its war against Ukraine.

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