Ukraine's secret strikes: Russian surveillance hit by S‑200, Patriot

A high-ranking Ukrainian military intelligence officer who remains anonymous revealed the details of the ambushes prepared against the Russian Federation's aviation in a conversation with The Times journalists. The officer explained that the strike on the A-50 aircraft was a joint operation of intelligence and air forces. To accomplish this task, the Ukrainians decided to restore the S-200 system to use.

The decision to use the S-200 to strike at Moscow's "eyes" was made in 2022, but it was first necessary to find the appropriate personnel who would be able to work with the S-200 system. Hence, the Ukrainians initially looked for officers who had previously operated these anti-aircraft complexes. Subsequently, they needed engineers who could perform the necessary maintenance work on the S-200 to use the weapon on the front line.

The first missile launch intended to strike occurred in the fall of 2023. However, the rockets did not hit the target due to a change in the A-50's flight path. The military officer notes that the failed operation still had a positive outcome. Speaking with The Times, an intelligence officer explained that they demonstrated to the Ukrainian forces that there was no need to fear enemy fire. During their initial operation, they fired two rockets, swiftly concealed the launchers, and evacuated, leaving no trace of their location.

The next — successful — strike was carried out in 2024. The Ukrainians additionally used Patriot batteries for this purpose, which was risky, as the weapon had to be directed close to the front line. One of the Ukrainian military personnel noted that this was a difficult task because the Patriot is not just a launcher but also includes an additional radar, power source, etc., totaling six large machines.

The air defense complex awaited the incoming A-50 aircraft with an Il-22 on January 14, 2024. The Russians then believed they were far beyond the reach of any ground threat. However, they were within a mere two minutes of the missile flight. The missiles hit both machines, with the A-50 falling straight into the sea, and the Il-22 was damaged.

Another successful operation took place on February 23, 2024. This time, the Russians moved the A-50 aircraft beyond the Patriot's range, but the aircraft was still within the range of the S-200. This system conducted a successful strike toward the second reconnaissance aircraft of the Russian Federation, which was 105 miles from the front line.

The Beriev A-50 aircraft replaced the Tupolev Tu-126 and was designed to detect and track all objects in the airspace within a radius of up to 400 miles from the Liana radar, which is mounted on the fuselage. The A-50 can also detect ground targets, but the range is limited to 186 miles in this case. Therefore, the aircraft can perform observational functions, intercept enemy units, and support ground attacks.

The A-50 was introduced into the Russian armed forces in the 1980s, precisely in 1984. This aircraft is impressively constructed, with a length of nearly 164 feet, a height of 49 feet, and a wingspan of about 166 feet. Its maximum speed is 559 miles per hour, and its maximum operational ceiling is approximately 8.1 miles. The A-50's flight range is about 4,660 miles.