Russia Increases Air Attacks on Ukraine Amidst Battlefield Struggles

Kathmandu. Russia has significantly increased the volume of air attacks on Ukraine in recent months while struggling to achieve notable success on the Ukrainian battlefield. 

Russia is now launching widespread attacks on Ukraine using more drones and high-speed missiles than before. In a major attack last Tuesday, Russia adopted a strategy to tire out the Ukrainian air defense system by using a massive swarm of cheap drones, followed by ballistic missiles, and then cruise missiles. According to military analysts, such a strategy increases the likelihood that many missiles will reach their targets.

According to Ukrainian officials, Russia also fired eight Zircon hypersonic missiles simultaneously in that attack. These extremely high-speed missiles are considered very difficult to intercept and have the capability to destroy even aircraft carriers. According to the Ukrainian side, it was not possible to intercept all eight Zircon missiles that were fired.

At least 23 people were killed and 151 injured in Tuesday's attack. Experts say the purpose of such attacks is not only to cause physical damage but also to spread fear among the public and create public pressure on the Ukrainian leadership to end the war.

Difficulties for Russia on the Battlefield

According to Thomas Withington, a military expert at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a defense and security studies institute in Britain, Russia has increased its reliance on air power because it has not been able to achieve significant gains on the battlefield. 

According to him, in April, for the first time since 2024, Ukraine was able to regain more territory than Russia had captured. "If Russia is not making expected progress on the ground, then air power has become the most effective means of creating pressure on Ukraine," Withington said.

According to an analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in the United States, at the beginning of this year, Russia was launching about 5,000 Shahed attack drones per month. But last month, this number increased to over 8,000.

According to analysts, despite the significant increase in the size and number of attacks, Ukraine's air defense system is performing remarkably well.

According to studies by RUSI and CSIS, Ukraine is still succeeding in shooting down about 90 percent of the drones. It is also reported that by using electronic warfare systems, many drones and weapons have been diverted from populated areas.

However, Russia's increasing air attacks continue to pose a threat to Ukraine's civilians, infrastructure, and energy structures. Analysts say that as the war drags on, the military strategies of both sides are becoming more complex.