Russia’s S-400 lack or failure: Defense Express analyzes Ukraine’s attack on oil depot in Crimea

As reported by Defense Express, this attack reveals the ineffectiveness of Russia's air defense systems. 

According to the publication, Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil depots, refineries, air bases, and military warehouses deep in Russia reveal a clear pattern: the deeper into Russia, the weaker the air defense.

However, Feodosia and occupied Crimea are known for their high concentration of military and strategic facilities, which have always been heavily guarded. Just on the outskirts of Feodosia, a unit of the 18th Air Defense Regiment of Russia, armed with S-400 systems, was stationed. The oil depot hit by Ukraine was only 6 kilometers away.

As of April 2023, the 18th Air Defense Regiment was still there, as their operations were recorded during a strike. This was likely carried out by a separate radar unit, military unit 66571, which had the Nebo-U/T radar deployed.

“However, this time the key issue is not just that this Russian surface-to-air missile (SAM) system failed to perform its duty. Local residents reportedly did not hear any Russian air defense activity at all.

This raises two possibilities: either there are no SAMs in the Feodosia area, indicating that Russia lacks air defense systems, or the Russian anti-aircraft units simply missed the attack. 

However, the main point now is that the enemy lacks a key facility for fueling its military operations,” Defense Express adds.

• On the night of Monday, October 7, explosions were reported in Crimea. An oil depot in Feodosia caught fire following an attack by Ukrainian Defense Forces drones.