Russia upgrades missiles to evade Patriot defenses in Ukraine

Russian forces have modified their ballistic missiles to perform unexpected terminal maneuvers that allow them to evade Ukrainian air defenses, including U.S. supplied Patriot systems, Ukrainian and Western officials said, a development evident in recent strikes near Kyiv and reflected in sharply reduced interception rates this autumn. The changes, reported over the past months, have complicated Kyiv's efforts to protect population centers and critical infrastructure as deliveries of additional interceptors have lagged.

Officials described two missile types as having been upgraded. The IskanderM short range ballistic missile and the air launched Kinzhal have been observed following a normal high arc before suddenly veering, diving steeply, or otherwise changing trajectory in their terminal phase. Those maneuvers can confuse and defeat Patriot interceptors, which are designed to engage more predictable ballistic paths. One former Ukrainian official called the added maneuverability "a game changer for Russia."

Ukraine's own air force data showed an improvement in interception performance over the summer, reaching 37 percent in August, before falling to 6 percent in September even...