Ukraine's air defence struggles amid missile scarcity
Ukraine is facing a critical shortage of missiles for its air defence systems, which drastically reduces the effectiveness of its defence 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 defence capabilities.
- Change in Russia's tactics: Russian drones are now being deployed from a higher altitude, making them more difficult to combat using traditional methods.
- Need for support: Ukraine urgently needs to replenish its stocks of missiles for the SAMP/T, Patriot, and Iris-T systems.
What are the consequences of the missile shortage?
The French "Le Monde" reports that Ukraine is experiencing a severe shortage of missiles for its 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. In early 2024, Ukraine was able to shoot down about 90% of Iranian kamikaze drones; however, that rate has now dropped to just 30%.
How is Russia changing its tactics?
The Russians have modified their tactics by deploying drones from a higher altitude, which makes them more challenging to counter with traditional anti-aircraft guns. Additionally, Russia has begun producing upgraded Iranian drones that carry a larger explosive load. All of this presents new challenges for Ukrainian air defence.
Ukrainian air defence commanders emphasise that the situation is particularly difficult in the south of the country. Besides the urgent need to replenish missile stocks for the SAMP/T, Ukraine also requires more missiles for the Patriot and Iris-T systems to effectively defend against attacks.
