Ukraine downing far fewer russian missiles than at beginning of war - WSJ
Recently, Ukraine has intercepted fewer enemy missiles as russia increases the number of attacks and uses heavier weapons.
This is reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The decrease in Ukraine's air defense capabilities is due to increased attacks by russian drones and missiles, as well as ballistic missile attacks. In addition, Kyiv is running out of ammunition for the Western-supplied Patriot system, which used to be the best defense against such attacks.
Ukraine has intercepted about 46% of russian missiles over the past six months, compared to 73% in the previous six months, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of daily data from the Ukrainian Air Force Command. The interception rate dropped to 30% last month. Shaheds' interception rate over the past six months decreased by only one percentage point to 82%.
Although data on attacks and interceptions for several days was incomplete, and Ukraine uses such statistics for propaganda purposes, a representative of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and an independent defense analyst said that the data paint a generally accurate picture.
The increased bombing is destroying infrastructure and cities, depleting the already meager stockpile of missiles that Ukraine needs to keep the russian Air Force out of its skies.
According to a representative of European military intelligence, the next two months or so will be crucial to whether the russian air force can be contained before new Western air defense means arrive in Ukraine.
The data shows that in the last six months, russia has launched about 45% more drones and missiles than in the previous six months.
According to the representative of the AFU, the interception of a larger number of attacks can lead to the depletion of ammunition reserves, and more powerful salvos - to the overload of the Ukrainian defense, since the air defense systems may not have time to recharge quickly enough.
Over the past six months, russia has launched 2,628 Shahed drones.
Analysts say these drones are used in part to test air defense systems before launching missiles.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on April 13, the Ministry of Defense of Germany announced that Germany would immediately transfer another Patriot anti-aircraft missile system to Ukraine to repel russian airstrikes.
On April 18, Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz said that he hopes for the transfer of six more Patriot systems to Ukraine by NATO countries.
On April 29, Germany handed over a package of military aid to Ukraine, which, among other things, included missiles for IRIS-TSLM air defense systems.