Ukrainian forces knock out $250m radar system in fiery maiden battle

The Russian army's enjoyment of their new counter-battery system, the 1K148 Jastreb-AW, didn't last long on the frontline. Their advanced equipment, located in the Kherson region, was detected by reconnaissance drones and consequently destroyed by two HIMARS launcher hits. The crew hastily evacuated as their "Hawk" went up in flames.

Each of these state-of-the-art vehicles carries a cost of up to 250 million dollars.

This marks a first-time victory for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Russians had only recently declared deploying the "Hawks" to the frontline. These systems play a crucial role there. Counter-battery artillery identifies and locates missile launch sites and enemy artillery positions. It targets its own fire towards these locations, mitigating the threat.

The 1K148 Jastreb-AW artillery recognition system is the latest innovation from Russian engineers. Its final testing phase was completed between 2021 and 2022, with considerations to the specific conditions of the war zone in Ukraine. Tasked with tracing and taking out Ukrainian artillery, the "Hawk" system works hand in hand with the 1L219 Zoopark-1 system, showing much higher effectiveness.

Units of this type, typically mounted on truck chassis or armored vehicles, have been targeted by the Ukrainians since the onset of the conflict.

Elimination of each enemy warning and reconnaissance system leads to improved operations for their own artillery and reduces the chances of enemy attacks. In turn, this results in better combat capabilities for other forces, which could potentially be effectively tracked by the Russians, though they've failed to handle the reconnaissance drones exhibiting cold precision.

Though a small victory, it still signifies success for the AFU. The Russians have not only lost equipment and personnel but have also squandered a fortune on modern weaponry.

All these events unfolded in the Kherson region, where Ukrainians are holding a bridgehead near the village of Krynki and striving to keep a passageway across the Dnieper. In the springtime, there may be an opportunity to initiate an attack towards Crimea, which is roughly 37 miles away, from this point. Until now, the marines have been fiercely guarding this minor crossing.

The struggle to maintain positions on the Dnieper's left bank continues with bloodshed and ferocity.

If the Ukrainians can endure further Russian aggression, they might consider retaliatory strikes to expand the bridgehead. For the time being, they are moving equipment and personnel to the Krynki area, while the invaders keep delivering more equipment, including modern ones, believed to give an upper hand to Putin's army.

Their main aim remains the same: to drive the enemy across the river, towards Cherson. This would ease their defense and secure the road to Crimea, which is pivotal to the outcome of the entire war.