Radar Construction Nears Completion
Construction of Russia’s “Konteiner” over-the-horizon radar station in Gvardeisk, Kaliningrad Oblast, is nearing completion, National Armed Forces Major and Home Guard staff officer Jānis Slaidiņš told TV24. Slaidiņš stated that the new installation will likely allow Russia to monitor airspace over Ukraine.
The facility features an antenna field where receiving arrays alone span approximately 1.3 kilometers and hold 144 masts, according to TV24. The radar has a declared operating range of 3,000 kilometers and targets aircraft and drones. Slaidiņš noted that the system contains a blind spot stretching about 900 kilometers wide.
Why attacking the Gvardeisk station presents tactical hurdles
Russia already operates similar radar systems across its territory. Slaidiņš recalled that in 2024, Ukrainian military intelligence drones struck and damaged a comparable station in Mordovia, Russia, explaining that disabling such radar limits continuous observation of Ukrainian airspace.
For the Gvardeisk station, however, repeating such a strike presents tactical hurdles. Slaidiņš pointed out that due to the geographical location of Kaliningrad Oblast, a direct drone or missile attack from Ukrainian territory remains practically impossible.
Where the Konteiner radar station is located and its range
Where is the new Konteiner radar station located?
The radar station is situated in Gvardeisk within Russia’s Kaliningrad Oblast, as reported by TV24.
What is the operational range and physical size of the radar?
The system has a declared range of 3,000 kilometers, while its receiving antennas occupy a 1.3-kilometer strip holding 144 masts, according to National Armed Forces Major Jānis Slaidiņš.
Can Ukraine easily target the Gvardeisk radar like it did in Mordovia?
As Jānis Slaidiņš explained, a direct strike from Ukrainian territory against the Gvardeisk station is practically impossible due to the geographical location of Kaliningrad Oblast, unlike the 2024 drone strike on a similar radar in Mordovia.
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