Tensions are rising in temporarily occupied Crimea following a precision Ukrainian strike on russian 96L6E air defense radar system near the town of Saky on April 25. According to the Atesh partisan movement, which includes agents embedded within the russian military, the strike has caused significant alarm among occupying forces and led to a shift in their operational posture.
The 96L6E radar system, part of russia's integrated air defense network, plays a critical role in detecting aerial threats, including low-flying aircraft and drones.
Read more: The Atesh Movement Partisans Disrupt Occupiers' Fuel Logistics in russia's Voronezh
Its destruction has reportedly fueled fears among russian personnel that Ukraine is methodically working to degrade russia's electronic warfare and radar capabilities in Crimea.
The Atesh sources suggest that Ukrainian forces are engaged in a broader effort to "clear the skies" over the peninsula, disabling russian EW assets as a prelude to launching coordinated missile and drone strikes on military infrastructure.
The report notes that the occupiers are now taking urgent and visible measures to protect remaining systems, indicating both the importance of these assets and a growing sense of vulnerability.
Despite these defensive efforts, the Atesh operatives say they are continuing to track the movement and deployment of radar and EW systems across Crimea. These agents are passing on coordinates and intelligence to Ukrainian forces, potentially enabling further targeted strikes. As the report notes, russian systems are widely distributed across the peninsula, "there are plenty of them in Crimea; they won't miss."
Read more: Partisans Seek to Increase Success of Ukraine’s Defense Forces by Disabling russian Radars in Occupied Crimea
