The American Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems that Ukraine has are almost no longer intercepting Russian missiles, writes Focus.de.
The reason is probably a small software change that could change the situation. Now a game of cat and mouse is underway on the technological terrain.
The Ukrainian missile defense system has recently become significantly more vulnerable. While in the summer it managed to intercept more than a third of Russian ballistic missiles, by September the percentage had fallen to only six percent. This is the conclusion of an analysis by the Financial Times.
According to analysts, the reason is a Russian software modification. Specifically, this case seems to be about a different behavior of Russian missiles shortly before the impact. The Iskander-M can maneuver quite aggressively in the final phase of its flight. Then the missile descends unexpectedly steeply, making it difficult for the Patriot systems to track and attack enemy missiles.
Russia has managed to hit important targets with its Iskander and Kinzhal missiles in recent months: for example, at least four drone factories in and around Kiev were seriously damaged.
Ukraine is watching this with concern. The new missile trajectories are an important change that Kiev, together with Washington, will try to overcome.
Experts have two more explanations for the low interception rate. One reason is simple - Ukraine does not have enough missiles provided by its Western allies. The second is that Russia may simply be increasingly looking for its targets in areas that are not protected by the “Patriots“. In this way, the defense is not overcome, but rather bypassed.
Currently, the “Patriot“ interceptor missiles are the only weapons in Kiev's arsenal capable of shooting down Russian ballistic missiles. The number of these systems that Ukraine possesses is not public. However, Western capitals are closely monitoring the success rate of these American systems, because they also rely on them.