How Russia is Turning Ukraine’s NATO-Made Air Defense Shield Into Swiss Cheese

Iskanders fly along unpredictable trajectories at tremendous speeds (up to Mach 7).

Their G-load during maneuver significantly exceeds what most NATO anti-aircraft missiles can withstand, Rostec says.

Besides their 400-700 kg payload, just the shockwave generated during the missiles’ approach, or munition fragments, can be enough to take enemy defenses out of action. Plus they’re incredibly accurate (5-7M CEP).

In other words, NATO has nothing like them.

Swiss Cheese Air Defenses

Ukraine’s air defenses have been decimated over three years of fighting, covering only Kiev plus 2-3 strategic objects elsewhere, says Russian air defense forces historian Yuri Knutov. “The remaining objects are practically defenseless.”

That’s because Russia is using the Fabian strategy – firing missiles and drones to grind down enemy defenses, logistics and defense production in depth, and aiming to achieve victory not through decisive battles, but exhaustion leading to collapse.

The growing intensity of Russian missile strikes in spite of new peace talks in Istanbul makes sense, Knutov says, given Kiev’s attempts to disrupt negotiations through its own recent drone attacks on Russian military and civilian targets.

Ukraine’s strikes were intended to evoke a tit-for-tat response, but Russia didn’t bite, sticking to strategic targets, like: