Russian Defense Ministry Claims Destruction of Israeli Radar Systems in Ukraine
On September 9, 2026, the Russian Ministry of Defense released a report detailing the progress of Russian forces and pro-Russian elements in Ukraine, referred to by Russia as a "special military operation." Independent military analysts, including those from Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT), consistently assign a low credibility rating to these Russian Ministry of Defense reports, a sentiment echoed by some pro-Russian military specialists. Despite this skepticism, the reports are being published for potential future comparative analysis.
The report claims significant advances by the "Sever" (North) troop grouping in the Kharkiv region, stating they are tightening an encirclement and have taken control of the settlement of Ozerne. It alleges that Ukrainian forces within the "cauldron" in the Malaya Volkcha, Komissarovo, and Buzovo areas were engaged, while enemy forces on the outer ring in Novoaleksandrovka, Prikolnoye, and Olkhovatka were also hit. Daily Ukrainian losses were reported as up to 35 servicemen, one armored personnel carrier, two ATVs, and four ground robotic systems. Two attempts by Ukrainian assault groups to break the encirclement were reportedly thwarted.
The "Sever" grouping also claimed to have engaged formations of several Ukrainian brigades in various settlements across the Kharkiv and Sumy regions. Within its zone of responsibility, the report states the enemy lost over 205 servicemen, 22 vehicles, and one Israeli-made RADA RPS-42 counter-battery radar. Other Russian troop groupings, "Zapad" (West), "Yug" (South), "Tsentr" (Center), "Vostok" (East), and "Dnieper," also reported inflicting significant losses on Ukrainian forces in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy regions, claiming hundreds of servicemen killed, numerous vehicles destroyed, and several artillery pieces and electronic warfare systems neutralized. The "Tsentr" and "Vostok" groupings specifically mentioned the destruction of two Israeli-made RADA RPS-42 radar systems.
Russian air and missile forces reportedly struck drone assembly workshops, fuel and energy infrastructure, ammunition depots, and temporary locations of Ukrainian forces and foreign mercenaries across 141 areas. Air defense systems were credited with downing eight guided aerial bombs, three US-made HIMARS rockets, a Neptune cruise missile, and 1,185 aircraft-type drones. The Black Sea Fleet reportedly destroyed six Ukrainian naval drones.
The report claims a total of 107 Israeli RADA radar systems have been destroyed since the start of the operation. Israeli authorities have not commented on these claims. Israeli military observer Igal Levin suggested that Ukrainian company Apate, known for producing high-quality mock-ups, might be creating RADA radar replicas that are being used by Ukraine, implying that some reported destructions could be of these decoys. In May 2023, a Lithuanian charity, with Israeli Defense Ministry approval, purchased and transferred 16 RADA systems to Ukraine. The report also cites extensive cumulative loss figures for Ukrainian equipment and personnel since the start of the "special military operation," alongside figures for Russian losses from independent sources and British intelligence, which suggest significantly higher Russian casualties.
