Ukrainian drone force logs 40% surge in Russian casualties in October

Ukraine has recently acquired new Korkut air defense guns from Turkey. The Korkut is essentially a Turkish version of the German-made Gepard SPAAG (self-propelled anti-aircraft gun), which Ukraine relies on to defend against Russian one-way attack (OWA) drones. While Korkuts could potentially bolster Ukraine's air defenses as winter approaches and Russia escalates its attacks, they may be less effective against the latest fast jet-propelled Russian drones, such as the Geran-4 and Geran-5.

These newer drones can fly at speeds of up to 600 km/h, compared to older drones that fly at around 200 km/h.

According to analysts, Ukrainian ground-based guns, which are their most cost-effective anti-drone weapons, have shot down about 90% of slower Gerans but only around 55% of faster Gerans. This means that more Russian munitions are getting through, resulting in more Ukrainian homes burning and power plants going dark. The Korkut systems purchased from Turkish firm Aselsan are welcome additions to Ukraine's air defenses, but they are not silver bullets against Russian drones.

The Korkut battery includes a command vehicle and three tracked or wheeled vehicles, each armed with a pair of fast-firing, radar-cued 35-mm autocannons. A single battery reportedly costs around $37 million.

Ukraine is already running short on its best missiles for taking down Russian jet drones, and jet-propelled OWA drones and cheap cruise missiles are becoming an increasing challenge. Rob Lee, an analyst at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, warns that cloudy and wet winter skies could further complicate short-range air defense. While the Korkut may help prevent a worsening decline in Ukraine's overall interception rate for incoming Russian drones, it is not a panacea for the growing air defense threats.