Sept. 29 (UPI) — According to state media, a Ukrainian attack drone successfully destroyed a Russian mobile anti-aircraft radar station in Russia’s Kursk region by carrying an explosive payload.
The drone attack, which was reported to be a special operation conducted by the Ukraine Security Service (SBU), targeted the “Kasta” surveillance radar near the village of Girya in the Belovsky district, close to the Ukraine border.
The Kasta radar system is specifically designed to detect low-flying targets that are usually undetectable by conventional radar systems.
An SBU source stated, “The Russians have claimed that their system can detect stealth aircraft, but for some reason, it failed to detect the SBU drone. The unique feature of this radar system was its ability to identify aerial targets at extremely low altitudes.”
However, the responsibility for the attack was denied by Mykhailo Podolyak, the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, who insisted that it was carried out by “Russian citizens” operating within Russia and targeting military and critical facilities.
“The network is quite active and efficient. We can see this in the Kursk and Belgorod regions,” he stated during an interview with Ukrainian television.
Prior to this incident, Russia claimed to have downed 11 Ukrainian drones overnight, including one over the Kaluga region and ten over Kursk. One of the drones targeted a power substation in the Belovsky district, resulting in power outages for five localities and a hospital.
Kursk governor Roman Starovoit shared on social media, “A Ukrainian drone dropped two explosive devices on a substation in the Belovsky district. One electric transformer caught fire. Five populated areas and one hospital are without power.” Firefighting crews were dispatched to the scene, and repairs will commence once it is deemed safe.
In recent weeks, attacks on Russian soil have been increasingly reported. Russia accused Ukraine of more than 130 munitions strikes in its Bolgorod region between Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning, affecting 22 villages and towns. The majority of these attacks involved artillery and kamikaze drones, resulting in only one reported injury.
While Kyiv has mostly refrained from confirming or denying any involvement in actions on Russian territory, the incidents continue to escalate tensions between the two neighboring countries.
