Gelendzhik, Krasnodar Krai, Russia — Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces reported striking a Russian S-400 Triumf air defense position in Gelendzhik, Krasnodar Krai, during an overnight drone operation on August 8–9. The operation also targeted four other Russian air defense assets and three vessels in the Black Sea.
Major Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, said the S-400 position had launched six missiles toward Ukraine on August 8 between 9:25 a.m. and 12:51 p.m. Ukrainian drones later struck the position, which reportedly remained on fire for about three hours.
Ukraine’s General Staff also confirmed the strike. Available information indicates that a launcher belonging to the S-400 system was destroyed, although the full extent of damage to the wider S-400 battery has not been independently established.
Local residents recorded smoke rising from the area following the attack.
Four Additional Air Defense Targets
Brovdi said Ukrainian forces also destroyed four Russian air defense assets at separate locations in Rostov Oblast and Krasnodar Krai.
The reported targets were:
- Tor air defense system near Pudovyi, Rostov Oblast
- Pantsir-S1 air defense system near Yeysk, Krasnodar Krai
- Podlet-K1 radar near Golovatovka, Rostov Oblast
- Kasta 2E2 radar near Latonovo, Rostov Oblast
The Tor and Pantsir-S1 are air defense systems, while the Podlet-K1 and Kasta 2E2 are radar systems used for air surveillance and target detection.
Volna Kupol Garant Electronic Warfare System
Open-source analysis also identified the destruction of a Russian Volna Kupol Garant electronic warfare system in Gelendzhik.
The system is designed to interfere with Starlink satellite communications. Reporting from Inside GNSS, citing Ukrainian defense sources, said the system uses trailer-mounted antennas to direct interference toward Starlink satellites. Ukrainian sources have reported that its interference can cover an area of about 20 square kilometers.
The reported destruction of the system was identified through open-source satellite imagery. Because the evidence comes from open-source analysis, the exact circumstances and timing of its destruction remain subject to further verification.
Three Black Sea Vessels Targeted
The same operation also targeted three vessels described by Brovdi as part of Russia’s shadow fleet.
The vessels consisted of one oil tanker and two dry cargo ships. Ukrainian authorities did not provide details on the extent of damage to the vessels.
The term “shadow fleet” generally refers to vessels used to transport Russian oil and other cargo through ownership, registration or operating arrangements intended to reduce the impact of sanctions.
Continued Targeting of Russian Air Defense
The reported operation adds to Ukraine’s ongoing efforts to strike Russian air defense and radar infrastructure beyond the immediate battlefield.
The S-400 is a Russian long-range surface-to-air missile system, while the Tor and Pantsir-S1 provide shorter-range air defense capabilities. Radar systems such as the Podlet-K1 and Kasta 2E2 support the detection and tracking of airborne targets.
The open-source tracking project Oryx has documented visually confirmed Russian losses involving S-400 launchers, including 5P85T2 and 5P85SM2-01 variants.
For the latest operation, however, the exact number of S-400 components damaged or destroyed remains unclear. Russian authorities have also not released a detailed public assessment of the reported strikes.
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