Russians just shut down their own air defense

Moscow's conversion of air defense interceptors into improvised ground-attack ballistic missiles represents a tactical compromise that trades long-term strategic air defense capacity for immediate strike volume. While this adaptation exploits Ukraine's current interceptor deficit, it fundamentally hollows out Russia's own defensive envelope against expanding Ukrainian strike capabilities. The integration of North Korean ballistic units temporarily amplifies Russian offensive salvos, yet fails to address the structural vulnerabilities emerging across domestic Russian airspace. In response, Ukrainian military strategy has shifted toward neutralizing launch platforms before missile deployment through Western intelligence sharing. Concurrently, Kyiv is accelerating industrial autonomy via European partnerships to produce the Freya anti-ballistic system, reducing dependence on Western stockpiles. Ultimately, Russia’s prioritization of short-term offensive output over homeland defense accelerates its own systemic vulnerability while incentivizing Ukraine’s long-term air defense sovereignty.