The US has an ABM system in the US and Alaska - it is and was installed to protect the missile fields in the Dakota’s etc.
The Russian ABM system is set around Moscow. Meaning that Russia is planning on “first strike” with their ICBMs and need to protect themselves (or at least the rotten pols) from retaliation....
Russia is on the other side of the world. Eastern Europe is right next door to Russia which makes a first strike on Russia much, much more obvious.
If you were doing a first strike, would you depend on an ABM system to protect you from the counterattack? Or would you simply head for the Urals before pressing the button?
Doesn’t the Russian ABM use nukes, and depend on airbursts to destroy incoming warheads?
Remember reading something about it somewhere....but it could be outdated or could be science fiction. Was a long time ago.
Seems their ABM system would end up doing the work for the incoming warheads anyway if true...