Ukraine’s air defense deficiency allows Russia to secure slow but certain victories on front lines – ISW

Ukraine's air defense cover along the front is scattered and inconsistent, allowing the Russian Federation to carry out more strikes with both guided and unguided cruise bombs. With their ground forces, the Russian Federation is taking advantage of this by launching airstrikes against Ukrainian forward positions and slowly gaining victories.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports this.

Russian troops used aerial bombs for tactical effect during the capture of Avdiivka in mid-February.

According to military analysts, it appears that Russian forces are using this tactic again during offensive operations near Chasiv Yar.

Russian strikes forced Ukraine to make difficult decisions between air defense of large population centers in the rear and active areas on the front line.

Russia appears to be using the degraded umbrella of Ukrainian air defenses in an attempt to disrupt Ukraine's energy grid and limit Ukraine's defense-industrial potential.

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ISW key findings as of April 11:

• Russian forces conducted another large-scale series of missile and drone strikes against Ukraine on the night of April 10 to 11 that caused notable and likely long-term damage to Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
• Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that Ukraine needs more Patriot air defense batteries to protect both Ukraine's population centers and frontline areas.
• The Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada [Ukrainian parliament – ed.] adopted a new mobilization law on April 11, a significant step in addressing Ukraine's manpower challenges amid growing human resources constraints in Ukrainian units defending on the frontline.
• US European Command (EUCOM) Commander and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Christopher Cavoli reported that EUCOM and NATO are strengthening their ability to respond to Russia's "chronic threat" to global stability and European security in hopes of deterring future Russian aggression against NATO.
• Ukraine and Latvia signed a bilateral security agreement on April 11, providing long-term Latvian assistance and security commitments to Ukraine.
• Russian authorities conducted a counterterrorism operation and reportedly killed two suspected terrorists in the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria on April 11.
• Russian forces recently made confirmed advances near Kreminna, in the direction of Chasiv Yar west of Bakhmut, and the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area on April 11.
• Russian exiled opposition outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe reported on April 11 that Russian courts have commuted sentences in over half of all criminal cases against Russian veterans and active-duty service members due to military service in Ukraine.

As reported, on the night of April 12, Russian troops launched 17 Shahed-type kamikaze drones and a Kh-59 guided air missile over Ukraine. Aviation of the Air Force and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces of Ukraine destroyed 16 UAVs.

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