2014 Russia-Ukraine War

1L119 Nebo-SVU in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War

Russian forces fielded the 1L119 Nebo-SVU as a long-range air-surveillance and target-acquisition radar in the war against Ukraine.

Weapon profile1L119 Nebo-SVU
SideRussiaRoleAir DefenseReconnaissance & SurveillanceTargeting Support
1L119 Nebo-SVU, VHF air-surveillance radar, Air Defense - 2014 Russia-Ukraine War
Image source: Wikimedia Commons IMDS 2011 Nebo-SVU Image

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
Russian forces fielded the 1L119 Nebo-SVU as a radar in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.

Sources: Militarnyi 2023 First Destroyed Nebo-SVU, RFE/RL Bryansk Nebo-SVU Strike, Ukrainska Pravda Armiansk Nebo-SVU Strike

The documented operator side is Russia.

Sources: RFE/RL Bryansk Nebo-SVU Strike, GUR October 2025 Nebo-SVU Strike Video, Ukrinform Lymarivka Nebo-SVU Strike

The system's documented conflict role was long-range air surveillance, target acquisition, and support to air-defense networks.

Sources: Rosoboronexport Nebo-SVU Catalog, RFE/RL Bryansk Nebo-SVU Strike, Ukrainska Pravda Armiansk Nebo-SVU Strike, Defense Express October 2025 Nebo-SVU Strikes

Reported strike locations include Bryansk region, occupied Crimea, occupied Kherson region, occupied Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblast territory, and occupied Luhansk Oblast.

Sources: RFE/RL Bryansk Nebo-SVU Strike, Ukrainska Pravda Armiansk Nebo-SVU Strike, UNITED24 Kherson Nebo-SVU Strike, GUR October 2025 Nebo-SVU Strike Video, Ukrinform Lymarivka Nebo-SVU Strike

Ukrainian official or state-linked sources reported Nebo-SVU strikes in 2025 and 2026, including GUR and General Staff-linked reports.

Sources: GUR August 2025 Crimea Nebo-SVU Strike Video, GUR October 2025 Nebo-SVU Strike Video, ArmyInform Lymarivka Nebo-SVU Strike, Ukrinform Hvardiiske Nebo-SVU Strike

Timeline

1L119 Nebo-SVU In 2014 Russia-Ukraine War

  1. First documented destroyed Nebo-SVU reported

    Militarnyi reported video of wreckage identified as a Russian 1L119 Nebo-SVU, while noting that the strike method and location were not confirmed.

    Sources: Militarnyi 2023 First Destroyed Nebo-SVU

  2. Bryansk-region radar strike reported

    RFE/RL reported an SBU-source claim that Ukrainian drones disabled a Russian Nebo-SVU in Bryansk region that monitored deep into Ukrainian airspace.

    Sources: RFE/RL Bryansk Nebo-SVU Strike

  3. Armiansk Crimea strike reported

    Ukrainska Pravda reported an SSU-source claim that drones struck a Russian Nebo-SVU near occupied Armiansk in Crimea after a May 29-30 nighttime attack.

    Sources: Ukrainska Pravda Armiansk Nebo-SVU Strike

  4. Kherson-region radar reportedly destroyed

    UNITED24 Media reported that Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian 1L119 Nebo-SVU radar in occupied Kherson region.

    Sources: UNITED24 Kherson Nebo-SVU Strike

  5. Crimea radar-dome strike reported

    The War Zone reported GUR footage of Ukrainian FPV drones attacking Russian radar sites in Crimea, including a 1L119 Nebo-SVU in a protective dome.

    Sources: The War Zone Crimea Nebo-SVU Dome Strike, GUR August 2025 Crimea Nebo-SVU Strike Video

  6. GUR reports two Nebo-SVU radars destroyed

    Ukraine's military intelligence service reported that its operators identified and destroyed two Russian 1L119 Nebo-SVU radars on occupied territory.

    Sources: GUR October 2025 Nebo-SVU Strike Video, Defense Express October 2025 Nebo-SVU Strikes

  7. Belbek airbase radar strike reported

    The War Zone reported an SBU claim that a Ukrainian drone strike at Belbek Air Base in occupied Crimea damaged two Russian Nebo-SVU long-range surveillance radars.

    Sources: The War Zone Belbek Nebo-SVU Strike

  8. Luhansk Oblast strike reported by Ukrainian General Staff

    ArmyInform and Ukrinform reported Ukraine's General Staff statement that Ukrainian forces struck a Russian 1L119 Nebo-SVU near occupied Lymarivka in Luhansk Oblast.

    Sources: ArmyInform Lymarivka Nebo-SVU Strike, Ukrinform Lymarivka Nebo-SVU Strike

  9. Hvardiiske Crimea radar strike reported

    Ukrinform reported, citing Ukraine's General Staff, that Ukrainian Defense Forces hit a Russian Nebo-SVU radar station at Hvardiiske in occupied Crimea during April 14-15 strikes.

    Sources: Ukrinform Hvardiiske Nebo-SVU Strike

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

The clearest public record of 1L119 Nebo-SVU use in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War comes from repeated Ukrainian strike claims and battlefield reporting against Russian radar sites. Militarnyi reported in April 2023 that Ukrainian forces had shown video of a destroyed Russian 1L119 Nebo-SVU, describing it as the first documented destruction of the radar type while noting that the exact strike method and location were not confirmed.

Later reports place Russian Nebo-SVU systems in or around occupied Ukrainian territory and adjacent Russian border regions. RFE/RL reported an SBU-source claim that an SBU drone attack disabled a Nebo-SVU in Bryansk region that monitored deep into Ukrainian airspace and supported bomber attacks. Ukrainska Pravda reported an SSU-source claim that drones struck a Nebo-SVU near occupied Armiansk, Crimea, where the radar controlled a combat-zone sector and protected Russian facilities on the peninsula.

Sources: Militarnyi 2023 First Destroyed Nebo-SVU, RFE/RL Bryansk Nebo-SVU Strike, Ukrainska Pravda Armiansk Nebo-SVU Strike

Documented strike pattern

From 2024 onward, Ukrainian official and defense-reporting sources described Nebo-SVU as part of Russia's air-defense network and as a high-value radar target. The reports include strikes or destruction claims in Crimea, occupied Kherson region, occupied Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblast territory, and occupied Luhansk Oblast.

GUR's October 2025 statement said its Department of Active Operations identified and destroyed two 1L119 Nebo-SVU radars, alongside a Buk-M3 launcher, on temporarily occupied territory in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Kherson Oblast, and Crimea. In January 2026, ArmyInform and Ukrinform reported Ukraine's General Staff statement that Ukrainian forces struck a Russian 1L119 Nebo-SVU near occupied Lymarivka in Luhansk Oblast. In April 2026, Ukrinform reported another General Staff statement that Ukrainian Defense Forces hit a Russian Nebo-SVU at Hvardiiske in occupied Crimea.

Sources: UNITED24 Kherson Nebo-SVU Strike, GUR October 2025 Nebo-SVU Strike Video, ArmyInform Lymarivka Nebo-SVU Strike, Ukrinform Lymarivka Nebo-SVU Strike, Ukrinform Hvardiiske Nebo-SVU Strike

Battlefield role

The documented role was air surveillance, target acquisition, and support to Russia's layered air-defense network rather than direct fire. Rosoboronexport describes the Nebo-SVU as a VHF radar that automatically detects and tracks aerial targets, recognizes target class and national affiliation, finds jammer direction, and outputs radar information to automated control systems.

The conflict reporting fits that sensor role. RFE/RL's SBU-source report said the Bryansk-region radar monitored hundreds of kilometers into Ukraine and supported bomber attacks; Ukrainska Pravda's SSU-source report said the Armiansk radar controlled a sector of the combat zone; and GUR and defense-reporting accounts treated Nebo-SVU losses as degradation of Russian air-defense coverage in occupied territory.

Sources: Rosoboronexport Nebo-SVU Catalog, RFE/RL Bryansk Nebo-SVU Strike, Ukrainska Pravda Armiansk Nebo-SVU Strike, The War Zone Crimea Nebo-SVU Dome Strike, Defense Express October 2025 Nebo-SVU Strikes

Videos

1L119 Nebo-SVU In 2014 Russia-Ukraine War

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