Ukraine needs Western air defense systems to destroy Russian reconnaissance UAVs

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

The ministry cited a May 14 report by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). It said that Ukraine was forced to compensate for the reduction in supplies of anti-aircraft missile systems. This shortage has allowed Russian reconnaissance drones to fly freely into the country's rear areas, including flying over Kharkiv, and has optimized the reconnaissance firepower of Russian troops.

The RUSI reported that during most of the full-scale invasion, the well-equipped Ukrainian Armed Forces were able to limit the capabilities of Russian reconnaissance drones. However, the decline in the supply of anti-aircraft interceptors has forced the Defense Forces to make increasingly difficult decisions about deploying air defense over critical infrastructure in the rear or in frontline areas.

The ISW report also recalled that Russian forces conducted a large-scale air campaign against the city of Kharkiv during offensive operations in the northern Kharkiv region and used glider bomb strikes to support Russian ground maneuvers in the region. The report also recalled that Russians used glider bomb strikes for tactical purposes during the capture of Avdiivka.

"Ukrainian troops need Western-made air defense interceptors to destroy Russian reconnaissance drones in the rear and on the front lines, and to defeat the optimized Russian air defense system that supports Russian tactical advance along the front," the ISW report says.

Author - Dmitriy Levchenko, 17/05/2024