How Russia's ballistic missiles, jet-powered drones have kept Ukraine under pressure
Russia is intensifying its aerial bombardment of Kyiv using advanced jet-powered drones and ballistic missiles. Ukraine is struggling to counter these attacks due to a shortage of US-supplied Patriot interceptor missiles.
Why it matters
The escalation highlights the critical reliance of Ukraine on Western military aid and the evolving nature of drone warfare in modern conflicts.
Russia launched ballistic missiles and several jet-powered drones at Kyiv, Ukraine's air force reported on Tuesday, as Moscow tries to force Ukraine to crumble under round-the-clock bombardment of its capital and other cities.The assaults have involved new jet-powered drones that fly too quickly and too high for Ukraine's ground-based air defences to bring down. Kyiv is racing to keep up by developing faster interceptor drones."Russia's terror against Ukraine is intensifying by the day," Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said on X."This is Russia's deliberate escalation instead of accepting Ukraine's offers to cease fire, negotiate and end the war," he added.Russian ballistic missiles have also penetrated Ukrainian defences, because the country is critically short of US-made Patriot interceptor missiles.Ukraine has been dependent on American supplies of Patriot air defence systems, but its stockpiles are running low due to the war in Iran, leaving the country vulnerable to Russian attacks.According to AP,…
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