Russia Lacks Air Defense Systems to Protect Military Airfields — Pletenchuk

Russia faces a shortage of air defense systems to protect military facilities, particularly airfields. 

This was stated by Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, during a television appearance.

 According to him, the destruction of drone launch sites near the Gvardeyskoye airfield in Crimea and the elimination of several “Pantsir” systems indicate a gradual weakening of Russian air defense.

Pletenchuk noted that some Russian military airfields have only one or two air defense systems, while significantly more powerful defenses are concentrated near the residences of the Russian leadership.

He predicts that the shortage of air defense systems will grow, and the destruction of each system will open up opportunities for further strikes on the targets it was protecting.

According to the spokesperson, efforts to destroy Russian air defense systems will continue, as this is essential for carrying out other combat missions.

On October 29, 2026, a Su-57 fighter jet exploded at the Russian military airfield “Akhtubinsk.” This was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

On October 29, a strike was carried out on the “Marinovka” military airfield near the town of Zhovtnevy in the Volgograd Region of the Russian Federation.

Prior to this, a Tu-95MS strategic bomber crashed in Russia.