Ukraine has five ways to stop Russia’s Iskanders. Only one arrives before the strikes on the grid begin
It means means finding a launcher in a forest during the twenty minutes it spends above ground.
Ukraine faces a daunting threat from Russia's Iskander ballistic missiles, which are difficult to intercept and can significantly impact Ukrainian cities and power plants. With a shortage of Patriot missiles, Ukraine has five options to counter the threat: begging for more Patriots from allies, especially the United States, developing its own interceptor, sanctioning the Iskander supply chain, destroying the supply chain within Russia using drones and cruise missiles, or targeting the launchers.
The Iskander is a unique threat, and Ukraine is particularly vulnerable. The Patriot missile is one of the few capable of intercepting an Iskander, but Ukraine's stockpile is nearly depleted. Production of Patriots is ramping up, but it will take until 2029 to deliver enough missiles to Ukraine, far too late to prevent potential winter devastation.
Ukraine has developed its own interceptor, the Freya, but it is still in the testing phase and not expected to be deployed until July 2027. Sanctioning the Iskander supply chain and targeting launchers are other potential options, but their effectiveness is uncertain. The long-term solution will require a combination of these strategies, with diplomacy and increased production being the key priorities.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
