Russia benefits from Iran conflict as strikes on Ukraine intensify
Photo: Russia benefits from the war in Iran while intensifying strikes on Ukraine (Getty Images)
Russia has altered its strike tactics against Ukraine, aiming to exhaust air defense systems, including American Patriot missiles, whose stocks are dwindling due to use in the Middle East, according to The Sunday Times.
According to senior Ukrainian military officials, over the past two weeks Russian forces have begun regularly carrying out large-scale daytime attacks. Some of them last up to 24 hours and involve the use of up to a thousand drones.
Yurii Ihnat, head of the communications department of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that recent Russian attacks were a deliberate attempt to deplete valuable air defense assets, including PAC-3 missiles used in Patriot systems, each costing about $4 million.
"They are doing attacks during the day and these are becoming longer and more exhausting. Not only are they harder to intercept as teams are exhausted [after] working all night and face difficulties such as being blinded by the sun," - Ihnat said.
This requires the deployment of air defense systems to protect Gulf countries, which in turn affects the availability of weapons and is accompanied by rising oil prices, strengthening Russia’s economy.
Ihnat said the current attacks are deliberate and aimed at depleting air defense stockpiles, particularly PAC-3 missiles used in Patriot systems, which cost about $4 million per unit.
"Since the beginning of the war in Iran we are seeing increasing quantities of attacks and different trajectories with more of these decoy drones, to use up our air defences," he said.
According to the spokesperson, Russia is also actively using decoy drones that resemble attack drones but carry lighter payloads. Their use is intended to further burden air defense systems and force the expenditure of intercept resources.
The strategy appears to be working.
"We are running out of Patriot missiles. We survived this difficult winter because we had Patriots. We constantly ask for more. If we’re left without these critically needed rockets, we’ll be left without anything and Russians will destroy our critical infrastructure," Ihnat said.
Global Patriot missile stocks are also declining, as they are actively used by other countries to repel attacks. Against this backdrop, Kyiv has expressed concern over potential supply limitations from the US, even if funded by European partners.
Ihnat noted that Ukraine is effectively a frontline testing ground for Patriot systems worldwide and is adapting their use. Modes of operation are being adjusted to reduce missile expenditure, and changes in Russian ballistic missile trajectories are also being accounted for to complicate radar operations.
Ukraine is not relying solely on Patriot systems but employs a multi-layered air defense network that includes short-range complexes and mobile intercept systems.
As Ihnat noted, such a system makes it possible to distribute the load and reduce the number of targets reaching key protected sites.
"We had to adapt, though we haven’t overcome 100 per cent," he added.
Additional measures include using helicopters in new roles, including intercepting aerial targets, as well as fighter jets equipped with air-to-air missiles, including F-16s and older French models.
Impact of the Iran war on US support for Ukraine
The US is simultaneously supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia and conducting military operations against Iran in the Middle East, significantly increasing the strain on the country’s defense resources.
Washington has increasingly discussed the need to replenish arms stocks and review usage priorities.
The Pentagon has already requested that the White House approve a congressional proposal to allocate over $200 billion to fund the war against Iran, reflecting the scale of needs and rising costs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the prolonged US and Israeli war against Iran could further weaken American support for Kyiv.
He emphasized that Ukraine urgently needs additional American Patriot systems to counter daily Russian strikes, noting that Kyiv still lacks an effective alternative for intercepting ballistic missiles.
