Russia Modifies Ballistic Missiles to Evade Ukraine's Best Defenses in Terminal Phase
Russia has modified its ballistic missiles to dive and maneuver unpredictably in the terminal phase, evading Ukraine's Patriot and other interceptor systems, according to a report by Reuben Johnson on 19FortyFive. A Ukrainian official called this a 'game-changer' for Russia. The modification exploits data from thousands of intercepts during the war. In a recent massive strike, Russia launched over 40 missiles and 120 drones at Kyiv, with 23 missiles and 10 drones hitting targets, killing 16 civilians and wounding 77 across Ukraine. Despite Ukraine's high intercept rate of nearly 90% in June 2026, a global shortage of interceptors and the new Russian tactics are straining defenses. Ukraine's own advanced missile defense systems remain years from deployment.
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