Critical deficiency of air defense in Ukraine allows the Russians to move near time ravine - isw

The Institute's analysts have acknowledged that Ukraine is able to strike a long distance to knock down Russian strategic aircraft, which could temporarily restrict Russian aviation operations. The weakness and limitations of Ukrainian air defense allows the Russian occupation troops to move forward on Earth quickly, in particular near the time ravine. This is stated in the report of the American Institute of War Study (ISW) of April 19, 2024.

"The ability of Russian aircraft to act at a depth of more than 100 kilometers in the Ukrainian airspace near the front line without significant losses indicates that Ukrainian air defense in the area is currently insufficient to restrain or prohibit Russian aircraft to act," the statement reads. And since Russian aircraft can feel freely in certain critical areas of the front and cover the infantry from the air, it allows the Russian occupation troops to move forward and on Earth.

"Ukrainian forces still have to spend considerable funds on the staffing of logistical means and determine priorities in the distribution of their limited air defense products in different sections of the front, which allows Russian aviation to maintain more consistent and rapid success on Earth, including in the ravine area" , - said in ISW.

At the same time, the Institute's analysts have acknowledged that Ukraine is able to strike a long distance to knock down Russian strategic aircraft, which can temporarily restrict Russian aviation operations. "However, these Ukrainian shock opportunities are not able to compensate for the critical shortage of air defense throughout the fighting theater," the ISW stressed.