Ukrainian forces destroy Russian Kasta-2E2 radar near Pikuzy, Donetsk
What happened
Ukrainian defence forces reportedly destroyed a Russian Kasta-2E2 mobile radar station near Pikuzy in Donetsk Oblast on 21 September, according to the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces. The Kasta-2E2 (39N6) is a mobile air-defence radar system capable of detecting aircraft, missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles at low altitudes across ranges up to 150 kilometres. Ukraine's General Staff valued the destroyed system at approximately 60 million USD.
Context and assessment
The Kasta-2E2 serves as a critical component of Russian air-defence networks, providing early warning and targeting data for integrated surface-to-air missile systems across a broad operational area. Destruction of such systems degrades Russian air-defence coherence and situational awareness, potentially allowing greater Ukrainian air and drone operation freedom in eastern Donetsk Oblast. The same day saw a related Ukrainian strike against a Russian UAV command post near the Dniproenergia power plant in the same region, suggesting a coordinated effort against Russian command and control infrastructure. Such strikes against high-value air-defence assets have intensified as Ukraine seeks to reduce Russian air-defence effectiveness and establish operational advantages in contested airspace.
Sources and confidence
The report originates from Telegram channel of Ukraine's General Staff (@GeneralStaffZSU), a primary official source for Ukrainian military claims. No independent cross-confirmation from third-party sources is currently available. The confidence score of 8.0 reflects the credibility of the official Ukrainian military source and consistency with documented Ukrainian targeting patterns, though single-source reporting prevents higher certainty. Independent verification or Russian acknowledgement would strengthen confidence.
Location
Pikuzy is a settlement in Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine, located approximately 37 kilometres east-northeast of Donetsk city in territory contested between Russian and Ukrainian forces. The settlement sits in the broader Donetsk industrial region. Geo-precision is set to settlement level with high confidence based on the named location provided in the original Ukrainian report.
Related events nearby
- Ukrainian forces struck a Russian UAV command post (pункт управління БпЛА) near the Dniproenergia power plant 2026-09-21 09:23 UTC · UAS Strike · Dniproenergia Power Plant, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine
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Intel Mapper aggregates open-source reports from monitored Telegram and X channels, geolocates them, cross-checks duplicates across sources and assigns a confidence score. Entries are updated as new confirmations arrive. Read how we verify events.