Checkmate! Ukrainian Artillery Stretches Russian Air Defenses

Constant attacks from Ukraine "stretch“ Russia's air defenses, putting the Kremlin in a position where it is forced to decide what to defend, writes the American publication Business Insider.

George Barros, an expert at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), believes that Russia has organized its air defenses only in the areas closest to Ukraine, while the rear areas are open to attack. In this way, it is enough for the Ukrainians to overcome the first line of Russian air defense, since the rear areas are "not well protected”.

In addition to ramping up production of long-range kamikaze drones, Ukraine has also destroyed many Russian air defense systems – both things add up to the problem for the Russians. Hitting more and more targets in Russia, Ukraine is forcing it to think about exactly where to defend itself, experts believe.

ISW's Riley Bailey argues that the escalation of near-daily strikes from Ukraine is putting more pressure than ever on Russian military commanders.

British expert on Russia and Ukraine Michael Clark explained Kiev's tactics: first the Ukrainians attack the Russian air defense network "and then use the holes they have created to go through them and attack air bases or, in some cases – as in Sevastopol, a naval base“.

Repeated strikes from Ukraine have led to reports that the Russian military has had to continually move air defense systems into Crimea, making it difficult to continue using the peninsula as a military logistics hub and staging post, Bailey said. And Ukrainian attacks in other parts of Russia appear to complicate the presence of Moscow's forces in Crimea.

"The truth is that the current conflict has become primarily an air defense war in which Russia still has the upper hand. Ukraine's air defenses are much smaller and often underequipped. Meanwhile, the Russian arsenal in this regard remains simply great“, Business Insider admits.

Experts say Ukraine's disadvantage is only exacerbated by the US preventing the Ukrainians from using the long-range weapons provided to them to strike targets in Russia. This protects the Russian planes that are shelling Ukraine with missiles and bombs.

"Obtaining such permission and increasing the number of aircraft would create a more level playing field. And the ability to strike more targets in Russia would allow Ukraine to nip more attacks in the bud – possibly forcing Russia to make even more decisions about where to deploy its own air defenses and which areas to leave vulnerable to Ukrainian attacks”, Business Insider summarizes.