Summary of "Ukraine Waited for Russian Commanders to Enter—Then 1150kg Flamingo Warheads Meet Crimea Bases"
Ukrainian Strike on Russian Military Targets in Crimea (August 30, 2025)
The video reports on a coordinated Ukrainian strike targeting Russian military facilities in Crimea on August 30, 2025. The operation involved three large Flamingo cruise missiles and multiple UJ26 [kamikaze drones](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DT43FHC2?tag=dtdgstoreid08-20) launched from Ukraine’s Odessa coast. Key Russian defense and intelligence sites, including the FSB building in Armeniansk and a patrol boat pier in Sevastopol, were targeted.
Key Points of the Operation
Timing and Strategy
Ukraine deliberately launched the attack during daylight hours when Russian generals were focused on planning an offensive through Crimea. The Russians misinterpreted Ukraine’s preparations as defensive, creating exploitable gaps in their defenses. This timing was chosen to maximize the strike’s effectiveness.
Weapons and Tactics
- Flamingo Cruise Missiles
- Weight: 7 tons each
- Warhead: 1,150 kg
- Range: 3,000 km
- Flight profile: Low subsonic speeds (~950 km/h) at altitudes of 15-30 meters to evade radar and electronic warfare
-
Navigation: Redundant systems including GNSS, inertial navigation, radar altimeter, and digital terrain reference to counter Russian GNSS jamming
- Explosive payload: 25-30 kg
- Role: Targeted radar and power infrastructure to create delays and confusion in Russian air defense systems
Execution and Effects
- The kamikaze drones attacked radar and communication nodes, causing partial blackouts and delaying Russian detection and response. While two drones were shot down, the rest successfully disrupted key radar and power components.
- Flamingo missiles struck critical command and control infrastructure inside the FSB building and a patrol boat pier. Internal explosions disabled power, communications, and operational capabilities without destroying the buildings’ exteriors.
- One patrol boat was heavily damaged, and fuel supply lines were severed, rendering the pier inoperable.
Russian Air Defense Challenges
- Despite the presence of advanced S400 missile defense systems, the low altitude and slow speed of the missiles, combined with radar horizon limitations and coastal reflections, created a narrow detection window of about 20-25 km.
- This limited detection prevented effective interception.
- The attack exploited timing, geometry, and electronic warfare to overwhelm Russian defenses, causing critical delays in reaction time.
Outcome and Implications
- The strike rendered the FSB base’s command and control functions inoperable and significantly impaired the Sevastopol naval facility.
- The operation demonstrated that even advanced layered air defense systems can be penetrated by well-coordinated, low-altitude missile and drone attacks exploiting timing and sensor vulnerabilities.
- The video suggests Russia will need to improve sensor redundancy, power supply resilience, and low-altitude detection capabilities to prevent similar future attacks.
Summary
Overall, the report highlights Ukraine’s strategic use of timing, advanced missile technology, and kamikaze drones to inflict significant damage on Russian military infrastructure in Crimea despite formidable air defenses.
Presenters/Contributors
Not explicitly named in the subtitles.
Category
News and Commentary
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