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Western weapons, experience harden Ukrainian air defenses against Russian onslaught
The Associated Press ^ | May 11, 2023 | DAVID RISING and HANNA ARHIROVA

Posted on 05/12/2023 3:37:45 AM PDT by Timber Rattler

By the time Kyiv residents hear the air-raid sirens signaling an imminent Russian attack, Ukraine’s air-defense units are already on the move. From camouflaged positions, they dart out by truck to farm fields around the capital, ready to take down enemy drones or missiles.

The scramble has become an almost nightly event since Russia resumed regular air attacks on Kyiv on April 28 after a nearly two-month lull. The units have intercepted every drone and missile fired at the capital since then.

It’s a vast improvement since the opening days of the war, when waves of Russian missiles and aircraft eluded many Ukrainian defenses and inflicted heavy losses on Kyiv’s air force.

With the help of Western weapons and growing experience, Ukraine’s air defenses have made great strides in the past 14 months, saving infrastructure and lives and preventing Russia from achieving air superiority — a critical step as Ukrainians prepare for a counteroffensive.

The bolstered defenses have deterred Russian aircraft from going deep behind the front lines and “greatly shaped the course of the war,” Ian Williams wrote this month in an analysis for the Center For Strategic and International Studies, or CSIS.

Since April 28, Russia has fired a total of 67 missiles and 114 drones at Ukraine, according to Ukrainian air force reports. Only seven missiles and 11 drones got through, and none hit Kyiv.

Last week, Kyiv units reported they had shot down Russia’s most advanced hypersonic missile, a weapon that was previously considered unstoppable by Ukraine. A newly acquired American-made Patriot battery made it possible.

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia; Ukraine
KEYWORDS: antiaircraft; defense; europe; nato; propaganda; todayspropaganda; tuneintomorrow
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A new iron dome goes up...


1 posted on 05/12/2023 3:37:45 AM PDT by Timber Rattler
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To: Timber Rattler
Kyiv units reported they had shot down Russia’s most advanced hypersonic missile

more good news

it's really nice of Russia to give us a chance to finally try out our weapons under actual battlefield conditions


2 posted on 05/12/2023 3:47:36 AM PDT by canuck_conservative (there would be no more need for NATO, if Russia could just stop attacking its neighbors)
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To: canuck_conservative

Sending up millions of dollars worth of missiles to shoot down $30k drones. If I were Putin I would send a drone every night too. And, keep doing it until the Ukrainians were out of ordinance.


3 posted on 05/12/2023 4:09:43 AM PDT by MattMusson (Sometimes the wind bweek.lows too much)
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To: MattMusson

Yup, part of the overall plan.
The Uke’s squander ammo for their Soviet era hardware. They have no choice. When that ammo is gone, Russia planes will fly and tanks will roll


4 posted on 05/12/2023 4:30:51 AM PDT by Steven Tyler
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To: MattMusson

bogus nonsense, each Patriot shot doesn’t cost “millions of dollars”

plus we’re getting real-world experience in stopping Russian missiles, which will come in handy later should Putin decide to attack Europe ... can’t put a price on that useful experience


5 posted on 05/12/2023 4:31:34 AM PDT by canuck_conservative (there would be no more need for NATO, if Russia could just stop attacking its neighbors)
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To: Timber Rattler
Americans would be far better off if they would forget about the Ukraine and turn their attention to their OWN southern border..

While we curse and shake our fist at Putin, (a man who is just trying to defend his own borders) and give all our treasure and defense equipment to the Ukraine, the DC lawyers (politicians) and the "One World Cabal" are working overtime to completely wipe us OUT..

WAKE UP AMERICA..!!! THE WOLF IS AT THE DOOR.!

https://www.muckraker.com/articles/darien-gap-mass-migration-pipeline-exposed/

6 posted on 05/12/2023 4:42:44 AM PDT by unread ("It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required." W. Churchill.)
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To: Steven Tyler
When that ammo is gone, Russia planes will fly and tanks will roll

You mean that lone T-34 from Putin's pitiful parade on Tuesday?

Putin Mocked As Only A Single T-34 Tank Was Present For Moscow's Victory Day Parade


7 posted on 05/12/2023 4:42:55 AM PDT by Timber Rattler ("To hold a pen is to be at war." --Voltaire)
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To: unread
While we curse and shake our fist at Putin, (a man who is just trying to defend his own borders)...

By launching a massive invasion and aerial assault against his neighboring country, the sovereignty of which Russia guaranteed in 1991, and again in 1994?


8 posted on 05/12/2023 4:46:12 AM PDT by Timber Rattler ("To hold a pen is to be at war." --Voltaire)
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To: canuck_conservative

Yep, and those weapons are proving effective.


9 posted on 05/12/2023 4:55:34 AM PDT by ScottinVA (A national divorce is the only option.)
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To: Timber Rattler

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 🇷🇺 🤡


10 posted on 05/12/2023 4:56:41 AM PDT by ScottinVA (A national divorce is the only option.)
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To: Timber Rattler

Just the fact the corrupted little beggar is crying for air defense says it all, same for tanks, weapons, ammo, he is spent…..as is the West’s welfare stash.

Ukraine is now a welfare state, totally dependent on the collective West for survival- and Russia is not.

Fine and dandy , but Margaret was right- fine and dandy till you run out of other people’s money.


11 posted on 05/12/2023 4:59:56 AM PDT by delta7
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To: Timber Rattler
"By launching a massive invasion and aerial assault against his neighboring country, the sovereignty of which Russia guaranteed in 1991, and again in 1994?"

Yeah, it's a tough, cruel world, but you missed the point.. It's our OWN southern border that's under attack and desperately needs to be defended, and we give everything we got to defend Ukraine..?

Those stinking, lousy lawyers in DC are selling our nation out right before our very eyes, and we act like we don't know what's going on.. What's with THAT.? Are we really that foolish.??

I believe all OUR tanks, (If we have any left) our soldiers and our full attention should be focused on our own borders. We're in BIG trouble right here and if we don't get a grip on it, this nation is lost...if it ain't already lost..

12 posted on 05/12/2023 5:37:11 AM PDT by unread ("It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required." W. Churchill.)
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To: canuck_conservative

4 Million each:
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12297#:~:text=PATRIOT%20System%20Costs&text=PATRIOT%20interceptors%20are%20estimated%20to%20cost%20about%20%244%20million%20per%20missile.


13 posted on 05/12/2023 5:42:00 AM PDT by Unassuaged (I have shocking data relevant to the conversation!)
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To: unread

“a man who is just trying to defend his own borders”

putin is a known liar!


14 posted on 05/12/2023 5:43:24 AM PDT by Sunsong
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To: delta7

In Moscow, they teach many languages.
Russian to those that want to study the past, English, and Hebrew to those that want to leave,
and Chinese to those that want to stay.


15 posted on 05/12/2023 5:47:35 AM PDT by DUMBGRUNT ( "The enemy has overrun us. We are blowing up everything. Vive la France!"Dien Bien Phu last messa)
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To: Timber Rattler

“Our path ahead is not easy, it is as difficult as last year’s path. However, Ukraine is much stronger now than last year or in any other year of this war for freedom and independence of our country. Moreover, Ukraine is stronger now than at any other time of the confrontation with this empire. Our time is the time for victory!”
~ Zelenskyy


16 posted on 05/12/2023 5:54:20 AM PDT by Sunsong
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To: canuck_conservative
... each Patriot shot doesn’t cost “millions of dollars.”

According to an unreliable source, each Patriot missile costs between $1 million and $6 million.

That said, it's not the cost of the missiles. It's the potential damage the incoming missiles can do to military and civilian targets.

I can assure you that Patriots and not being launched against drones. They would be launched against ALCMs and hypersonic missiles.

My guess is that Patriot radars are detecting inbound missiles and drones and passing the "tracks" to other surface to air assets to shoot the missile or drone down.

These surface to air engagements will be studied for years to come.

100% success rate...WOW!

17 posted on 05/12/2023 5:59:38 AM PDT by FtrPilot
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To: canuck_conservative

—> bogus nonsense, each Patriot shot doesn’t cost “millions of dollars”

The cost of a Patriot missile can vary depending on the specific variant and the quantity being purchased. However, as of the last reported cost in 2020, a single Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile was estimated to cost around $3 million USD. It is important to note that this figure is an estimate and the actual cost may vary depending on a variety of factors such as production costs, quantity ordered, and other factors.

I suspect all costs have risen since 2020 due to inflation


18 posted on 05/12/2023 6:05:07 AM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion (Fraud vitiates everything)
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To: Sunsong
"putin is a known liar!"

And Joe Biden ain't.? They're ALL liars!

There are damned few politicians in this world that have any moral ethics whatsoever. They're out to fill their own pockets and they don't really give a hoot who gets hurt along the way..

Here's a list of NATO countries

Albania. 2009. Belgium. 1949. Bulgaria. 2004. Canada. 1949. Croatia. ... Denmark. 1949. Estonia. 2004. Finland. 2023. France. 1949. ... Hungary. 1999. Iceland. 1949. Italy. 1949. Latvia. 2004. ... Montenegro. 2017. Netherlands. 1949. North Macedonia. 2020. Norway. 1949. ... Romania. 2004. Slovakia. 2004. Slovenia. 2004. Spain. 1982.

I don't see The Ukraine anywhere on that list.. And Putin wants to keep it that way, and that's OK by me. It's said to be one the most corrupt governments in the world, and I think ours is running a close second. The demoncrats just use it as a place to go party and hide their stolen money..

If we don't find some way to get our OWN government to defend our OWN borders we're all going to be picking shit with the chickens... :(

19 posted on 05/12/2023 6:42:59 AM PDT by unread ("It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required." W. Churchill.)
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To: unread

You said:

putin is “a man who is just trying to defend his own borders”

that is a lie!

putin is a known liar.


20 posted on 05/12/2023 7:18:18 AM PDT by Sunsong
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