Ukraine has doubled the number of Russian air defense systems it has destroyed in six months
The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to launch systematic strikes against Russian air defense systems, effectively conducting a targeted hunt for enemy air defense systems.
According to the German publication Der Spiegel, this is facilitated by the increase in the production of Ukrainian drones and the improvement of their technological capabilities, which has significantly boosted the effectiveness of such operations.
According to journalists, in April, Ukrainian forces destroyed twice as many Russian air defense systems and radar stations as they did in October 2025. This trend, as noted, indicates a gradual weakening of the Russian air defense system at various levels and creates additional problems for both frontline units and the Russian Federation’s rear infrastructure.
Analysts emphasize that the damage or destruction of air defense elements has an impact in several areas. On the one hand, it complicates the protection of logistics chains, particularly the supply of ammunition, equipment, and gear to the front lines. On the other hand, it reduces Russia’s ability to defend its own territory and critical facilities, including energy infrastructure and defense industry enterprises.
Ukrainian strikes remain most effective at distances of up to 200 kilometers from the front line. It is there that drones most often strike Russian medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems, such as the “Tor” and “Buk,” and sometimes even reach the more expensive S-300 systems. According to analysts’ estimates, citing WarSpotting data, while approximately 16 air defense systems, radars, and jamming devices were destroyed in the fall of 2025, this number rose to 37 between March and May 10 of this year, demonstrating a sharp increase in the rate of destruction of Russian air defenses.
On May 13, Ukraine’s air defense shot down 710 enemydrones.
The effectivenessof Ukraine’s air defense last month exceeded 88%, but there is a shortage of missiles for the Patriot system.
The Russians attacked Zaporizhzhia more than 800 times in a single day; there are casualties.
A drone attack on Zaporizhzhia left 7 people wounded, including a child.
Zaporizhzhiasuffered a second Russian attack in a day; an explosion occurred in the city.
