Ukraine war latest: Ukraine strikes Russian radar systems, S-400 launcher in occupied Crimea, General Staff says
on Google
Key developments on March 14-15
- Ukraine strikes Russian radar systems, S-400 launcher in occupied Crimea, General Staff says
- Russian strike razes homes in Zaporizhzhia, killing 1, injuring 19
- Moscow attacked by over 60 drones in single day, mayor says
- Ukraine claims 'successful' strike on 2 Russian ships ferrying weapons, equipment through Kerch Strait
- Russia sentences 5 Ukrainian POWs to 15–18 years over 2024 Kursk incursion
- Ukraine confirms drone strike on major southern Russian oil refinery, key port
Ukraine struck Russian radar systems and an S-400 air defense launcher in occupied Crimea overnight on March 15, Ukraine’s General Staff reported.
According to the statement, Ukrainian defense forces hit the 59N6-E "Protivnik" and 73E6 "Parol" radar stations near the village of Liubknekhivka in Russian-occupied Crimea.
The Protivnik radar is a long-range surveillance system designed to detect and track aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic targets at high altitudes. The Parol system is used to identify aircraft as friend or foe within Russia’s air defense network.
Ukrainian forces also struck a launcher belonging to an S-400 "Triumf" air defense system near the settlement of Dalne in Crimea, the General Staff said.
The extent of the damage is still being assessed.
The General Staff also confirmed that a Valdai radar system struck by Ukrainian forces near Prymorske in occupied Crimea on March 10 sustained significant damage. The Valdai radar is designed to detect and counter low-flying drones.
According to the General Staff, systematically targeting Russian air defense systems helps reduce Moscow’s ability to control airspace and protect other military facilities.
Russian strike razes homes in Zaporizhzhia, killing 1, injuring 19
Russia struck a residential area in Zaporizhzhia with guided aerial bombs on March 14, killing one man and injuring 19 others, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported.
One of the injured victims, a 17-year-old boy, is in serious condition following the attack.
At around 4:30 p.m. local time, Russia launched four guided bomb attacks targeting apartments and homes in the city, Fedorov said. A fire broke out at the site of the attack that has already been extinguished.
One man was killed in the strike. Another 18 victims, including the teenager, were injured.
Two victims were trapped beneath the rubble and rescued by emergency workers, the governor reported.
0:00/0:211×Rescue workers carry out a woman who was trapped under the ruins of an apartment building razed by a Russian bomb on March 14, 2026, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. (Ivan Fedorov / Telegram)
Several houses were destroyed in the attack, Fedorov said. Twelve additional homes and 12 multistory apartment buildings sustained damage. An unspecified "infrastructure object" was also damaged, along with multiple vehicles.
Emergency response teams have been working into the night to clear the attack sites, the governor reported.
The southern city of Zaporizhzhia, home to approximately 710,000 residents before Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, is regular target of Russian attacks. Strikes intensified throughout the winter, with Russia's assault on energy infrastructure inflicting multiple region-wide blackouts.
A Russian guided bomb attack on March 11 damaged critical infrastructure and injured 13 people, including children.
Moscow attacked by over 60 drones in single day, mayor says
Russian air defenses shot down over 60 drones headed toward the Russian capital on March 14, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claimed.
Throughout the day, Sobyanin reported that groups of Ukrainian drones were intercepted en route to Moscow. As of 11:25 p.m. local time, Russia had countered 65 drones, according to Sobyanin.
Emergency crews have been dispatched to the crash sites, and no casualties or damage have been reported.
The drone threat also caused Moscow's Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky airports to temporarily suspend flights.
Russia's Defense Ministry reported that air defense units destroyed 280 Ukrainian drones across various Russian regions, including dozens over Moscow Oblast, during a 10-hour span on March 14.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these reports at the time of publication.
Ukraine regularly launches drone attacks against military and industrial facilities in Russia.
Drone strikes on Moscow have been reported on several occasions, though the capital is well-defended against aerial threats. Many of these attacks have triggered temporary airport closures, which Ukrainian officials have said is part of a strategy to return the Kremlin's war home to the Russian population.
Ukraine claims 'successful' strike on 2 Russian ships ferrying weapons, equipment through Kerch Strait
Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said on March 14 that it had "successfully" struck two Russian vessels transporting weapons and military equipment through the Kerch Strait.
The agency described both ships as a "key part" of Russia's Kerch ferry service, used to supply ammunition and equipment to Russian forces fighting against Ukraine.
"As a result of the operation, the enemy's railway ferry 'Slavianin' was put out of action, and the vessel 'Avangard' was damaged," the statement reads.
The Kerch Strait — a 35-kilometer (21-mile) waterway linking the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov — separates the Kerch Peninsula in Russian-occupied Crimea from Russia's Taman Peninsula and serves as a key logistics corridor for Moscow.
As part of the same operation, Ukrainian intelligence units, working alongside other military formations, struck infrastructure at the Port Kavkaz in Russia's Krasnodar Krai.
HUR said Russia has been using the port to sustain military operations against Ukraine.
The facility, located on the Chushka Spit, is one of Russia's largest passenger ports and supports the ferry connection with occupied Crimea.
Ukraine's General Staff confirmed the strike, reporting damage to port infrastructure.
Russia's Defense Ministry said air defenses "intercepted and destroyed" 87 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple regions. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claim.
Russia sentences 5 Ukrainian POWs to 15-18 years over 2024 Kursk incursion
A Russian court has convicted five Ukrainian prisoners of war captured during Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast, handing down sentences ranging from 15 to 18 years, Russia's Investigative Committee announced on March 13.
The rulings mark the latest in the ongoing prosecutions of Ukrainian servicemembers held in Russian captivity following Kyiv's cross-border operation in August 2024.
Ukraine advanced up to 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) into Russian territory in the first months of the offensive, aiming to divert Russian forces from eastern Ukraine.
Russia later launched a counteroffensive in the region, reinforced by around 12,000 North Korean troops, eventually pushing Ukrainian forces out of the captured areas.
The Kursk operation initially drew praise for its scale and surprise effect, but analysts remain divided over its long-term strategic impact.
Critics say the incursion failed to significantly slow Russian advances in Donetsk Oblast and became a resource-intensive battle, while Ukrainian officials continue to highlight Russian losses as evidence of the operation's effectiveness.
According to Russian authorities, Ukrainian soldier Oleksandr Harbuz, 53, of the 129th Territorial Defense Brigade, received an 18-year sentence after being accused of planting landmines in the Sudzha district. He was captured near the village of Gornal on July 23, 2025.
Volodymyr Koshmel of the 25th Assault Battalion was sentenced to 17 years. Russian prosecutors alleged he conducted reconnaissance and participated in a "blockade" of the village of Guevo between December 2024 and January 2025. He was taken prisoner on Jan. 24, 2025.
Serhii Mekhonoshyn, a rifleman from the 17th Mechanized Brigade, and Mykola Cheban of the 255th Assault Battalion each received 16-year terms for allegedly entering the Glushkovsky district.
Cheban was captured on June 9, 2025, while Mekhonoshyn was detained on Sept. 25, 2025, near the village of Novy Put, Russian officials said.
Oleksandr Sychuhov, 47, of the 33rd Assault Regiment, was sentenced to 15 years for reportedly taking part in what Russia calls a "blockade" of the village of Tetkino on April 19, 2025.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims made by Russian authorities.
Moscow has conducted multiple trials against Ukrainian POWs during the war that Kyiv and international observers have described as politically motivated and lacking due process. Russian authorities routinely flout international human rights law, subjecting Ukrainian POWs to inhumane conditions and brutal torture during their captivity.
Ukraine confirms drone strike on major southern Russian oil refinery, key port
Ukrainian drones struck Russia's Krasnodar Krai overnight on March 14, hitting the Afipsky Oil Refinery and sparking a large fire, Ukraine's General Staff reported.
The refinery is one of the largest oil processing facilities in southern Russia, producing gasoline, diesel fuel, gas condensate distillates, heavy petroleum residues, and sulfur.
Local residents reported hearing dozens of explosions around 1 a.m. local time as air defense systems were activated and sirens sounded across the region.
The strike damaged parts of the refinery, from falling drone debris, local authorities claimed, adding that no casualties were reported. Kyiv confirmed that "a hit on the target has been recorded."
The plant processes roughly 6.25 million tons of crude annually — about 2% of Russia's refining output — and has been repeatedly targeted in previous drone attacks.
Russia's Defense Ministry said air defenses "intercepted and destroyed" 87 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple regions. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claim.
Russian authorities also reported a separate drone attack on the Port Kavkaz facility in the Krasnodar Krai region, where three people were injured, and a technical vessel was damaged after drone debris fell on the dock complex.
Ukraine's General Staff confirmed the attack and said damage to the port's infrastructure had occurred.
"Both facilities are involved in supplying the Russian military," the statement said.
The Kavkaz port, located on the Chushka Spit in the Kerch Strait, is one of Russia's largest passenger ports. Its main task is to serve the Kerch ferry crossing in Russian-occupied Crimea.
Local residents additionally reported another drone strike in the city of Tolyatti in Russia's Samara Oblast targeting the KuibyshevAzot chemical plant, though the extent of damage is unclear.
Ukraine routinely launches deep strikes against military and industrial facilities in Russia, primarily relying on domestically developed drones.
Kyiv continues to escalate its campaign against Russian oil and gas infrastructure, a key source of Moscow's revenues helping to fuel its war against Ukraine.
