Russia preparing 'massive strikes' on Ukraine's energy sites after deadliest attack of the year

Defending Ukraine against Russia's advanced ballistic missile launchers requires a multi-pronged approach, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. On August 22, Zelensky announced that Ukrainian forces had successfully targeted an Iskander ballistic missile launcher near the country's border for the first time. Zelensky stated that this was a deliberate attempt to prevent large-scale missile attacks.

Ukraine's ongoing struggle to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks has been a significant challenge. While the United States has provided the advanced Patriot air defense system, its limited stockpile due to global pressures has proven to be a long-term liability. Russia is reportedly producing over 600 Iskander-M ballistic missile launchers annually, a stark contrast to the dwindling Patriot inventory.

To address this vulnerability, Ukrainian forces are focusing on hunting down the launch assets themselves. This complex, intelligence-heavy, and highly sensitive process involves locating launcher positions, logistics routes, and launch sites through satellite imagery analysis and early warning radar data shared with NATO partners. Despite these efforts, the Ukrainian military still faces significant barriers, including a lack of weapons to strike the launchers quickly and high-quality real-time intelligence data.