Shoots down 90-100% of Russian missiles: WP tells about the success of Ukrainian air defence

In the first months of the war, Ukrainian air defence forces intercepted about 50% of Russian missiles. However, thanks to the arrival of Western-made air defence systems, this percentage has increased significantly.

This was reported by The Washington Post. Thus, today the effectiveness of Ukrainian air defence is approaching 90-100%.

Earlier, a CSIS report said that at the beginning of the war, the number of Russian missiles shot down was even lower than 50%. However, by the end of December last year, Ukraine reported successfully intercepting about 80% of Russian cruise missiles thanks to the introduction of new Western-made air defence systems in October and November, as well as the improved skills of the Ukrainian military.

A brigade commander of the Centre Air Defence Command, codenamed 'Granit', said the figure was closer to 90%. Thus, during the Russian attack on April 28, defence systems around Kyiv destroyed 100% of the missiles.

"Kyiv is protected," the military said.

Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has employed two main air defence systems: the Soviet long-range S300 and the medium-range Buk systems, also known as SA-10 and SA-11.

Ukraine has gradually supplemented its arsenal with new systems received from Western allies. For example, in October, IRIS-T batteries from Germany were added, and in November, American and Norwegian NASAMS systems were added.

Ukraine has also received European SAMP/T systems and American HAWK missiles, and last month two more American Patriot batteries were added to the arsenal.

For example, last week, Kyiv's military units announced the successful shooting down of a state-of-the-art Russian hypersonic missile, which Ukraine had previously considered impossible to stop. However, this was made possible by the Patriot system.

Recall that Bild showed the wreckage of a Russian supersonic Kinzhal missile shot down over Kyiv. The first confirmed downing of the "miracle weapon" boasted by Russian President Vladimir Putin was a real sensation.

Earlier it was reported that Kyiv's air defence is currently based on a multi-level echelon principle. This includes not only small and medium-range air defence missile systems, but also mobile fire groups.

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