Missile shortage cripples Ukraine's defence against Russian drones
Ukraine is facing a critical shortage of missiles for its air defence systems, drastically reducing its effectiveness against Russian attacks, reports "Le Monde".
What do you need to know?
- Critical missile shortage: Ukraine no longer has missiles for two SAMP/T system batteries, significantly weakening its defensive capabilities.
- Change in Russian tactics: Russian drones are now being deployed from higher altitudes, making it difficult to combat them using traditional methods.
- Need for support: Ukraine urgently needs to replenish missile stocks for SAMP/T, Patriot, and Iris-T systems.
What are the consequences of the missile shortage?
French "Le Monde" reports that Ukraine is dealing with a severe shortage of missiles for the SAMP/T air defence systems. The lack of missiles for these advanced systems, produced by France and Italy, significantly weakens the country's defence capabilities. At the beginning of 2024, Ukraine was able to shoot down about 90% of Iranian kamikaze drones, but now this rate has fallen to just 30%.
How is Russia changing its tactics?
The Russians have modified their tactics, deploying drones from higher altitudes, making them harder to combat with traditional anti-aircraft guns. Additionally, Russia has begun producing upgraded Iranian drones, which carry a larger explosive payload. All of this presents new challenges for Ukrainian air defence.
Ukrainian air defence commanders emphasize that the situation is especially difficult in the south of the country. In addition to urgently needing to replenish missile stocks for the SAMP/T, Ukraine also needs more missiles for the Patriot and Iris-T systems to effectively defend against attacks.
