Lack of air defense in Ukraine helps Russians capture Chasiv Yar

The shortage of air defense systems has led to the intensification of Russian bombing attacks on frontline areas and may be a decisive factor in the capture of the town of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region.

This is reported with reference to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The report refers to an interview with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba with The Washington Post on April 10, in which the official stated that the Armed Forces of Ukraine need Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems to protect settlements and frontline areas from ballistic missiles, including Kinzhal air defense missiles.

ISW experts note that Russian strikes have forced Kyiv to make difficult decisions between covering large settlements in the rear and active areas on the front line with air defense systems.

The report states that Russia is exploiting the degraded umbrella of Ukraine's air defense in an attempt to disrupt Ukraine's energy grid and limit Ukraine's defense and industrial potential. At the same time, Russian ground forces are using their ability to conduct air strikes on the front lines of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to slowly but surely gain victories.

"ISW continues to assess that sparse and inconsistent air defense coverage along the front has likely facilitated Russia’s intensification of guided and unguided glide bomb strikes, which Russian forces used to tactical effect in their seizure of Avdiivka in mid-February 2024 and which Russian forces appear to be using again during their current offensive operations near Chasiv Yar," the report says.

Author – Anastasiya Glotova, 12/04/2024