Ukrainian forces destroyed another expensive Russian weapon
One more Zoopark-1 radar was knocked out
On November 29th, the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence posted drone footage on its Telegram channel showcasing the destruction of an expensive Russian 1L219M Zoopark-1 surveillance and counter-battery radar complex.
Destroyed by the ‘Soldiers of the Kryla’
Ukrainian forces from the ‘Soldiers of the Kryla’ unit, a group that is part of the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence’s Active Operations Department, located the Russian Zoopark-1 and attacked the weapon with first-person view (FPV) drones.
Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Егор Журавлёв, CC BY-SA 2.0
The system cost Russia $24 million
"The cost of such a complex is approximately 1 billion hryvnias. To destroy the Russian ‘zoo,’ scouts used four long-range FPV drones, worth 100 thousand hryvnias,” Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence wrote according to Newsweek, which reported that the sum equaled roughly $24 million dollars.
Photo Credit: Telegram @DIUkraine
Not the Zoopark destroyed by Ukraine
“The ratio is 1: 10,000. We continue the fight! Glory to Ukraine!” the message continued. This wasn’t the first Zoopark-1 system Ukrainian forces have destroyed since Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Photo Credit: Telegram @DIUkraine
A key counter-battery radar system was eliminated
In August 2024, Ukrainian forces claimed that they destroyed a 1L260 Zoopark-M1, a slightly different model than the Zoopark-1 taken out in November. The loss was a major blow to Moscow and one that likely cost the Kremin a lot of money.
The 15th Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade
Soldiers of the 15th Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade’s 'Black Forest' unit discovered a Russian Zoopark-M1 counter-battery radar system operating behind the frontline in the Zaporizhzhia and proceeded to destroy it with artillery.
Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Mil.ru, CC BY 4.0
Footage was released of the attack
The 15th Brigade released footage of the attack and the Ukrainian military news website Militarnyi reported that once the soldiers adjusted their fire, they were able to score a direct hit on the Russian radar system with high-precision weapons.
Photo Credit: Screenshot Facebook @br.chorniylis
How do counter-battery radars work?
Counter-battery radar systems are a powerful tool used by both sides in the war to help determine the location of enemy artillery fire by detecting and tracking incoming artillery shells as they approach their targets.
Photo Credit: Screenshot Facebook @br.chorniylis
Detecting enemy artillery firing positions
“They detect a missile or projectile in flight and calculate its trajectory using several points, determining both the location of the enemy’s firing position and the place where the projectile fell,” Militarnyi reported.
Photo Credit: Screenshot Facebook @br.chorniylis
How counter-batteries help artillery hunters
“Once the approximate coordinates are identified, a reconnaissance drone is deployed to the likely location of the target to conduct additional reconnaissance of the target and adjust fire on it,” Militarnyi added.
Photo Credit: Screenshot Facebook @br.chorniylis
Ukraine has destroyed at least 13 systems
As of December 3rd, the Dutch open-source intelligence group Oryx has visually confirmed that as of September 15th, Russia has lost at least 16 1L260 Zoopark-M1 and 7 1L259 Zoopark units since Vladimir Putin launched the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Photo Credit: Screenshot Facebook @br.chorniylis
The Zoopark-M1 isn’t cheap
Each Zoopark-M1 unit costs roughly $10 to $15 million dollars according to open-source data reported by Kyiv Post.
Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Егор Журавлёв, CC BY-SA 2.0
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