In recent weeks, Russia has launched intense missile attacks, primarily against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, and Ukraine, in the absence of adequate Western support, does not have a sufficient number of anti-aircraft missiles – such as Patriot missiles – to shoot them down. .
In the past six months, Ukrainian air defenses were able to intercept only 46 percent of Russian missiles, compared to 73 percent in the previous six months. Furthermore, the missile interception rate dropped to 30 percent in the previous month.
Meanwhile, the capture rate of Shahid's easier-to-launch drones fell just 1% between the two halves, and now stands at 82%.
However, according to the data
Russia also launched a much larger number of missiles: in the previous six months, the increase was 45 percent compared to the previous six months.
During the same period, the number of Shahed aircraft launched nearly doubled.
The Russians fly the drones in part to test Ukrainian air defenses before launching the missiles.
In the past six months, Ukraine has been able to shoot down only 10% of ballistic missiles.
None of the missiles fired from the Russian Sz-300 and Sz-400 air defense systems could be destroyed.
US-made Patriot air defense systems are almost exclusively capable of shooting down ballistic missiles, Sz-300 missiles and hypersonic missiles, but there are few such systems. The Ukrainian army said they could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Volodymyr Zelensky According to the Ukrainian president, a total of 25 Patriot systems will be needed to cover the entire Ukraine.
The next two months or so will be crucial as to whether Russia's air force can be brought under control before new Western air defense equipment reaches Ukraine, a European intelligence official said.
According to a Ukrainian official, Russia is capable of producing 170 missiles per month, while also receiving drones and missiles from Iran and North Korea.
Cover image source: Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images
