Russia has changed its attack tactics in order to wear down Ukraine’s air defence

Russia has changed its tactics in its attacks on Ukraine, seeking to wear down the air defence system, particularly the American Patriot missiles. According to the Ukrainian military, attacks have become more frequent and prolonged in recent weeks, taking place not only at night but also during the day, reports The Times.

Over a two-week period, Russian forces carried out air strikes that could last up to 24 hours and involved up to a thousand drones. The aim of such actions is to use large numbers of expensive missiles and overload mobile interception units.

Colonel Yuriy Ignat noted that the attacks have become more gruelling. He said that the work of the air defence forces is made more difficult by the fact that teams are working non-stop, and additional difficulties arise during the day.

Over the past month, the number of drones deployed has increased. Since the start of the war between the US and Iran, Russia has launched over 6,500 drones. Over the past two weeks, night-time attacks have regularly been supplemented by new strikes during the day.

One of the massive strikes began at three o’clock in the morning and lasted ten hours. A total of 542 drones, 27 cruise missiles and 10 ballistic missiles were used. Ukrainian forces intercepted 515 drones and destroyed 26 missiles, though some of the targets hit their objectives. In the Zhytomyr region, 18 buildings were destroyed; in Kharkiv, two people were killed; and in Kyiv, a veterinary clinic was damaged, resulting in the deaths of 20 animals.

This is the third such attack in the last 12 days. One of the previous strikes lasted 24 hours and involved 984 drones and missiles, setting a new record.

According to Ignat, Russian forces are using not only Shahed-type drones but also Gerber decoy drones, which mimic their shape and are designed to overload air defence systems.

The Ukrainian military notes that Patriot missile stocks are dwindling. At the same time, these systems remain crucial for intercepting ballistic targets. According to Ignat, without a sufficient number of missiles, there is a risk of losing the ability to defend critical infrastructure.

Ukraine employs a multi-layered air defence system, utilising various assets, including British Terrahawk Paladin, Star Streak and Raven systems. F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets, as well as helicopters, are also deployed.

One of the F-16 pilots reported that during one of the attacks, the air force destroyed 17 cruise missiles and 11 drones. According to him, up to ten drones can be shot down in a single mission.

Despite the intensification of air strikes, the situation on the front remains relatively stable. According to a study by the Institute for the Study of War, in March Ukrainian troops regained control of part of the territory for the first time in six months.