Viewpoints
Opinion

Russian, Ukrainian Air Defense Kill Rates Not Credible

Many dozens of reports by Ukraine and Russia claim extraordinarily high success rates in shooting down enemy missiles and drones. These claims are problematic.
Russian, Ukrainian Air Defense Kill Rates Not Credible
An explosion is seen in the sky over the city during a Russian drone and missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 29, 2023. Gleb Garanich/Reuters
Mike Fredenburg
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Commentary
On Nov. 25, Russia launched some 75 drones at key military and infrastructure targets in Kyiv. As per usual, the Ukrainian military reported that its air defense systems had been incredibly successful—shooting down all but one of the drones (74 out of 75)—about a 98 percent kill rate.
Mike Fredenburg
Mike Fredenburg
Author
Mike Fredenburg writes on military technology and defense matters with an emphasis on defense reform. He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and master's degree in production operations management.
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