Ukraine's Air Defense in Critical Condition: Chinese Expert's Analysis

Chinese military expert Qiu Shiqing stated that Ukraine's government is facing a severe missile shortage, which has rendered its air defense systems ineffective against Russia's bombardments. The lack of interceptors for the Patriot air defense system has forced Ukraine to abandon defending non-critical targets. Given the shortage of interceptors and the US's production capacities and supply priorities, it seems unlikely that Ukraine will receive sufficient missile support in the short term. This situation will further exacerbate the already heavy load on energy and transportation networks, leading to increased power outages and a worrisome situation for Ukraine ahead of the upcoming winter. According to data released by Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, out of 195 missiles launched by Russia, only 29 were intercepted by Ukraine, resulting in a 14.9% interception rate. Furthermore, it was reported that none of the 27 missiles fired by Russia in the air attack on August 1 were intercepted.