Russia's missiles bypass air defenses at high cost, expert says

Russia's relentless assault on Kyiv has escalated, with a new tactic of launching its most advanced missiles first in a bid to overload Ukraine's air defenses. The pre-dawn attack on Tuesday saw a barrage of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, resulting in at least six deaths and dozens of injuries.

This marks the second large-scale combined drone and missile attack on the capital in two weeks. While Iran-developed Shahed drones are largely intercepted, the more sophisticated ballistic missiles, which President Putin has dubbed "unstoppable," pose a greater challenge. Early reports from the latest attack suggest Ukraine's defense successfully shot down a third of the Iskander missiles fired, though around twenty still caused significant destruction. The use of Zircon hypersonic missiles, capable of traveling up to 1,000 kilometers, has also been reported.

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But it costs very much for the Russian side before you get this breakthrough.

Military experts note that Russia's strategy of overwhelming specific air defense units with a high volume of projectiles from a single direction is effective but comes at a significant cost to Moscow. The tactic of firing ballistic missiles first, followed by cruise missiles and drones, aims to surprise Ukrainian forces, though defenders remain vigilant. This sequence may explain Ukraine's partial success in neutralizing some ballistic threats.

Ukraine's air defense capabilities are a critical concern. While US-made Patriot systems are effective against ballistic missiles, Ukraine has a limited supply. Germany's IRIS-T system offers some support, but cannot intercept all threats. President Zelenskyy has indicated Ukraine's ambition to domestically produce Patriot systems, highlighting the ongoing need for advanced defensive capabilities.

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It is a way to surprise, even though the Ukrainian defense is always on its toes.