Ukrainian armed forces are increasingly attacking Russian radar systems - including on Russian soil. Will this trigger a massive backlash from Putin? Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the threat of nuclear escalation has been part of Russian warfare.
New drone attacks by Ukrainian forces on a radar facility on Russian territory may have crossed Putin's red line for the potential use of nuclear weapons. The location of the radar system not far from Kovylkino, which has a population of around 20,000, houses a 29B6 "container" over-the-horizon radar. The so-called container is part of the missile attack warning system (MARS). The first example of the container radar was built by Russia in 2000-2002, according to Newsweek. The city is around 680 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. As early as April 11, 2024, local authorities reported that two drones were shot down in Mordovia. According to a presidential decree by Putin from 2020, which can be viewed on his website, nuclear escalation is a'red line'