{"id":2363,"date":"2026-08-05T18:10:30","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T18:10:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=2363"},"modified":"2026-08-05T18:10:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T18:10:30","slug":"why-russias-ballistic-missiles-are-increasingly-getting-through-ukrainian-defenses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=2363","title":{"rendered":"Why Russia\u2019s ballistic missiles are increasingly getting through Ukrainian defenses"},"content":{"rendered":"
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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) \u2014 When Russia fires a ballistic missile at Ukraine<\/span>, air-defense systems have only minutes \u2014 sometimes seconds \u2014 to detect and intercept the deadly threat.<\/p>\n

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The lack of time has left Kyiv and other cities increasingly exposed to devastating attacks by the missiles that come down so fast and so steeply that Ukraine says only the U.S.-made Patriot defense system<\/span> can stop them. But Ukraine says it has too few<\/span> batteries and interceptors to protect itself.<\/p>\n

Unlike cruise missiles, which behave like pilotless planes, ballistic missiles are launched like rockets and then dive steeply toward their targets at several times the speed of sound.<\/p>\n

That sharply reduces the time available to find and destroy a warhead. The result has been repeated attacks like the latest barrage on the Ukrainian capital<\/span> that targeted a brewery, a warehouse and a mail-sorting office. At least 17 people were killed and dozens more wounded, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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When the warhead is hurled toward its target, \u201cit\u2019s very, very steep and it\u2019s going at a ridiculous speed,\u201d said Thomas Withington, an expert on electronic warfare at the Royal United Services Institute, who compared the physics to playing catch. If the ball is \u201cgoing really fast, it\u2019s harder to catch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Russia\u2019s ground-launched Iskander-M missile is the Kremlin\u2019s main ballistic missile. Another example is the air-launched Kinzhal missile. Russia has also fired S-300 and S-400 air-defense missiles at ground targets. A model known as the Zircon is technically a hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile, but its high speed resembles that of a ballistic missile and creates a similar interception problem.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look at the challenge of shielding Ukraine from some of Russia\u2019s deadliest projectiles.<\/p>\n

Patriot system offers some protection<\/h2>\n

The most capable Patriot system supplied to Ukraine is designed for high-speed missile defense. Instead of exploding near a target, the PAC-3 system uses a maneuverable interceptor designed to collide with an incoming warhead. The Patriot technology must track the missile, predict its path and launch within minutes, sometimes leaving seconds for the final engagement.<\/p>\n

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Patriots are currently the only system in Ukrainian service able to intercept the Russian Iskander-M, S-400 and Zircon missiles, according to Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat. The United States and its allies operate other anti-ballistic systems, including THAAD and sea-based Aegis defenses, but they have not been provided to Ukraine.<\/p>\n

Even Patriot protection is not guaranteed. When a Patriot battery is absent, out of position or short of missiles, most other Ukrainian defenses cannot substitute for it.<\/p>\n

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Ukraine has too few batteries to shield every city. Russia combines ballistic missiles with cruise missiles, drones and decoys, forcing defenders to track many threats and ration scarce interceptors.<\/p>\n

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Shortage of interceptors is only a part of a global problem<\/h2>\n

The interceptor shortage has become more acute as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has consumed large numbers of Patriot and THAAD interceptors. An analysis by The Associated Press estimated that the U.S. Patriot inventory had fallen<\/span> by at least 65% from its prewar level, while the Pentagon said it retained a deep arsenal.<\/p>\n

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