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Yuri Zoria


Massive radar gap in Crimea creates Ukrainian drone corridor, expert says

The western part of Russian-occupied peninsula has been uncovered after Ukraine has recently destroyed Russia’s radar stations at Cape Tarhankut.
fpv-style upgrade gives ukrainian long-range uj-26 beaver drone real-time visuals russian air defense radars captured bober drone’s thermal camera fpv mode during 1 2025 strike russian-occupied crimea russian-air-defense-radars-in-crimea-as-seen-from-ukraine-beaver-drones-in-fpv-mode ukraine’s (beaver)
Russian air defense radars captured by Bober drone’s thermal camera in FPV mode during the 1 July 2025 strike on Russian-occupied Crimea. Source: HUR
Massive radar gap in Crimea creates Ukrainian drone corridor, expert says

Ukrainian forces have created a corridor for drones and missiles into Crimea by recently disabling key Russian radar systems near Cape Tarhankut, a military expert says. The destruction of the Nebo-M system has left the western part of the Russian-occupied peninsula uncovered, opening a clear path for future strikes.

Drone warfare has become a defining feature of the Russo-Ukrainian war, with unmanned systems active across air, land, and sea. Such latest operations fit into Ukraine’s growing pattern of strikes targeting Russian air defense systems.

Ukrainian drone corridor to Crimea now active

A recent Ukrainian drone attack destroyed valuable Russian radars and a command center for the advanced Nebo-M system.

As reported by RFE/RL’s Krym.Realii project, a former Ukrainian officer from Crimea stated that recent radar strikes created not just a gap but a fully functional route into the peninsula. The expert emphasized that the radar modules destroyed were part of Russia’s Nebo-M complex—systems capable of detecting aerial and ballistic targets at long distances.

These stations once covered areas “from Cape Tarhankut to Kyiv and Kharkiv in the north, Kamianets-Podilskyi in the northwest is about 590 km, to Sievierodonetsk in the northeast — 600 km.” With them now neutralized, the expert confirmed that a large swath of airspace has been left unprotected.

A real corridor now exists for Ukrainian drones and missiles,” he said.

The unfolded Protivnik-GE radar station of the Nebo-M complex, with other components of the system folded nearby. Screenshot from pvo.guns.ru via RFE/RL.
The unfolded Protivnik-GE radar station of the Nebo-M complex, with other components of the system folded nearby. Screenshot from pvo.guns.ru via RFE/RL.

Sea-launched drones hit precise targets

Video of the attack analyzed by Krym.Realii shows a hexacopter drone taking off from an unmanned surface vessel close to the shore of Cape Tarhankut. While its exact type remains unidentified, the drone closely resembles Ukraine’s Baba Yaga strike drones—a term used by Russian forces for the Vampire model developed by SkyFall.

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These drones, commonly used for nighttime missions, carry thermal imagers and payloads up to 15 kg. Their loadout includes mortar rounds, anti-personnel grenades, and thermite devices.

According to the expert, all explosives deployed in the video footage struck directly at radar components, ensuring maximum damage.
Strike on the Russian Nebo-M’s command vehicle in occupied Crimea on 2 July 2025. Source: Telegram/Krymsky Veter.

He also noted that the drones were controlled on frequencies between 700 and 900 MHz—outside the range of local Russian jamming systems operating at 1200 to 1600 MHz. This allowed them to bypass electronic warfare defenses in the area.

Ukraine’s evolving naval drone tactics

This and other recent drone operations in Crimea also highlighted a shift in Ukraine’s drone warfare tactics. Previously, Ukraine showcased Magura sea drones—specifically the V5 strike model, the W6P multifunctional platform, and the V7 drone armed with either missiles or machine guns.

In a military documentary, two new drone boat variants appeared. One vessel carried four launch-ready FPV drone containers and used a traditional propeller engine instead of waterjets. These unmanned boats likely transported the hexacopter drones used in the attack on Tarhankut.

Why Ukraine must bet it all on Putin’s greatest weakness—Crimea

Western Crimea left exposed

With radar systems in both Saky and Tarhankut eliminated, experts now consider the Ukrainian drone corridor to Crimea active. The expert noted that the absence of coverage from the west and northwest leaves the peninsula vulnerable to repeated precision strikes.

The radar strike opened a window of opportunity,” he said. “From the sea or the air, that entire sector is now blind.”