Ukraine’s strike on Engels reveals Russia's depleted air defenses

Military expert Oleksandr Kovalenko expressed this opinion on his Telegram channel.

According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russia has lost 1,038 air defense systems since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While Russian forces lose around thirty air defense systems per month, they can only produce and repair a few, putting Russia in a critical shortage phase.

Neither the USSR nor Russia has ever fully secured its airspace, with some areas having complete air defense, others partial coverage, and some with gaps. From 2022 to 2023, the Moscow region and Crimea were the most protected, while regions like Saratov had strong, but not top-tier, defense.

Recently, there have been reports of exported air defense systems being deployed in Russian regions, suggesting that these contracted systems were seized or purchased to address the shortage of surface-to-air missiles.

Kovalenko highlighted that the focus is on Saratov, not Moscow, and the latest strike's success is undeniable, as Ukraine steadily depletes Russia's air defenses and critical infrastructure.

“Meanwhile, the Kremlin, standing at the Rubicon ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration, failed to demonstrate anything that would convince the 47th president of the U.S. that negotiations, not pressure, were the way to go,” the expert noted.

Despite planning ultimatums and demands, Russia enters 2025 with uncertainty. However, considering President Zelenskyy's statements about strike drone and missile production, Ukraine hasn't even begun its strikes on Russia yet - this has merely been preparation.