The Russian military is experiencing a severe shortage of anti-battery radars, particularly modern ZOOPARK-1M systems, according to the UK Ministry of Defense’s latest update on the war in Ukraine.
It seems that only a fraction of the first ZOOPARK fleet deployed in Ukraine is still operational.
The survival of Russian ground forces depends heavily on the ability to effectively detect and neutralize Ukrainian artillery, often using their own artillery.
The use of anti-battery radars, which allow commanders to quickly identify enemy artillery positions, is a vital part of this tactic, the MOD said.
The MoD’s information update on the war said: “After being sacked as commander of the Russian 58th Combined Arms (58 CAA) in Ukraine, General Ivan Popov said that one of his main complaints was about the lack of resistance battery supply.
“The survivability of Russian ground forces depends on effectively detecting and countering Ukrainian artillery, often with the force’s own artillery.
“A key part of this approach is anti-battery radars, which allow commanders to quickly locate enemy gun lines.
“Russia is suffering from a worsening shortage of anti-battery radars, especially its state-of-the-art ZOOPARK-1M.
“Only a handful of the originally deployed ZOOPARK fleet is likely to remain in Ukraine.
“Other ZOOPARK open source photos showed it being destroyed near area 58 CAA in early July 2023. The priority Popov apparently gave to this problem shows the importance of artillery in the war.”
Major General Ivan Popov was sacked by Vladimir Putin last week amid a quiet atmosphere out of Russia’s top military command structure.
Popov, who was the commander of the 58th army in the Zaporizhzhia region, an important region that is the center of heavy fighting amid ongoing efforts against the Ukrainian offensive.
The commander-in-chief was relieved of his duties after his vocal complaints about the problems his troops were facing on the front line.
Popov, aged 48, has had an impressive career, starting as a platoon commander and eventually leading a major military force.
He adopted a calm approach, encouraging his soldiers to go directly to him with any issues.
This informal style of leadership was in stark contrast to the typically strict and formal military leadership seen in the Russian armed forces.
He is widely recognized by Russian military bloggers for his efforts to minimize unnecessary casualties, unlike other commanders who were more willing to sacrifice troops to demonstrate successful outcomes.
