russia’s Air Defenses Just SHATTERED (video commentary)

05/01/2026

It’s not hard to find regular reporting on Ukraine’s air defense shortages, particularly their lack of Patriot interceptors used to shoot down rapidly moving Russian ballistic missiles. This reporting is true – but it typically misses the mark by only covering one side of the story. The truth is, as sever as Ukraine’s air defense shortages are, Russia’s problem is almost certainly worse. The large size of Russian territory, alongside the specific tactics used by Ukraine, have now made it impossible for Russia to adequately defend their targets. Ukraine is now getting through Russian air defenses on a regular basis, hitting targets of their choosing with abandon. I discuss the lasting repercussions of this, and where things could ultimately be going.