In a series of relentless attacks, the Ukrainian army has been targeting Russian air-defense batteries in Crimea, inflicting severe damage and raising concerns about the efficacy of the sophisticated S-400 system. On Tuesday, Ukrainian forces bombarded the Belbek S-400 battery for the second time, along with two other nearby air-defense batteries, utilizing an estimated 10 American-made Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles.

The initial rocket barrage in mid-May, which unleashed 10 ATACMS missiles at the Russian base in Belbek outside Sevastopol, resulted in significant destruction. Ground photos confirmed that the explosives, each containing hundreds of bomblets, successfully destroyed a radar and two launchers from the S-400 air-defense battery. There have also been reports of damage to four warplanes at a nearby military airfield.

Belbek and Sevastopol are critical bases for the Russian air force and the remaining Black Sea Fleet of the Russian navy. Consequently, the Russians promptly replaced the damaged components of the S-400 system, which boasts a missile range of up to 250 miles. However, the Ukrainian forces' latest strike on Tuesday resulted in the destruction of two radars—one each from the S-300 and S-400 batteries. The fate of a third radar is currently under investigation.

The Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies reported that the Russian air-defense system failed to intercept any of the ATACMS missiles used in the strike. The detonation of munitions was recorded in all three areas where the anti-aircraft missile systems were stationed. The Russian defense ministry is now faced with the daunting task of assessing the extent of the damage caused by the recent attack.

Belbek is proving to be a difficult challenge for the Russian air force's best air-defense system, as Ukrainian forces continue to successfully target fresh missile batteries at a remarkable pace. The analysts at Oryx have verified that Russia has already lost two S-400 command posts, four radars, and 16 launchers. With the recent attack, the toll could be even higher. It is estimated that the Ukrainian missile raids may have obliterated parts of four or five S-400 batteries.

Ironically, the S-400 system, designed with an anti-missile capability, has failed to defend nearby friendly forces or protect itself from Ukrainian rocket attacks. The Russian air force possesses more than 50 S-400 batteries; however, their efficacy in Ukraine's war effort is questionable if they cannot withstand the onslaught of Ukrainian strikes. Consequently, the more S-400s Russia deploys in this region, the more they are likely to lose.

Russian observers are now expressing concerns about the possibility of more devastating attacks in the future. Drawing from American strike doctrine, Ukrainian forces are expected to target air-defense batteries initially and subsequently launch aviation strikes utilizing F-16 aircraft armed with a range of ammunition. With the Ukrainian air force acquiring 85 ex-European Lockheed Martin F-16s, equipped with radar-homing missiles and precision glide-bombs, it is anticipated that these nimble jets will quickly take action against Russian bases in Crimea, whose air-defenses have been severely weakened by successive ATACMS rocket barrages.

As the conflict escalates, the Russian defense ministry must reevaluate its defense strategy in the face of repeated Ukrainian missile strikes that continue to undermine the S-400 system's credibility and ability to protect crucial military installations in Crimea.