S-400 Air Defense System in Crimea Destroyed by ATACMS Missile

The Russian S-400 Air Defense System battery deployed in Crimea was reportedly annihilated following a strike by Ukrainian forces utilizing ATACMS missiles.

On the night of April 16, Dzhankoy airport in Crimea experienced an assault resulting in the destruction of critical Russian military assets, including elements of the S-400 Air Defense System, according to sources cited by SavunmaSanayiST.com.

Reports indicate that the alleged Ukrainian attack targeted and neutralized several Russian missile launch vehicles and radar systems. Specifically, the strike reportedly resulted in the destruction of five S-400 and S-300 missile launch vehicles, alongside one radar unit belonging to the Russian Armed Forces. Additionally, a military equipment repair center located at the airport compound was severely impacted by the assault.

The assault was carried out utilizing advanced weaponry, with some accounts pointing to the deployment of U.S.-manufactured MGM-140 ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles. However, Ukrainian media, citing their own sources, have alternatively indicated that modernized Soviet-era weaponry could have been employed in the attack.

Photographs corroborate the destruction of the S-400 system, a critical component of Russia's air defense network renowned for its advanced capabilities.

Notably, at the time of the attack, two missile launch vehicles of the S-300 system were reportedly undergoing maintenance within the facility, which consequently saw ammunition within the compound detonate during the assault.