During the night, Ukrainian Defense Forces likely struck two important targets in Rostov Oblast, Russia—the RLK-1 “Navigation of the South” radar complex and a facility on the territory of a former air defense base.
Information from NASA FIRMS indicates the presence of thermal signatures at these locations, which may indicate a fire, according to Militarnyi.
RLK-1 “Navigation South” is part of the infrastructure of the “Aeronavigation South” branch in Rostov-on-Don and performs key tasks in organizing air traffic in southern Russia.
In particular, the complex provides aircraft detection and tracking, navigation and route coordination, and is also responsible for radio-technical flight support, aviation telecommunications, and satellite communications.
The facility is of strategic importance to Russian aviation, as it is part of the country’s centralized air traffic control system.
The former air defense unit (military unit 65312) and military town were the base of the 1244th anti-aircraft missile regiment, which was armed with S-300PS missiles in the 1990s.
The Russians have probably decided to restore the base and use it in the war against Ukraine.
The unit’s territory houses a radar complex similar to the RLK-1, which probably performs similar tasks.