According to the South China Morning Post, Russia has begun launching ballistic missiles that are striking Ukraine with little warning. Kyiv and other cities are exposed to attacks that fall steeply and rapidly, giving Ukrainian air‑defence only minutes – sometimes seconds – to detect and intercept the incoming threats.
The SCMP report notes that Ukraine claims only the U.S.‑made Patriot system can stop such missiles, yet it has too few batteries and interceptors to provide full coverage. BBC News echoes this concern, saying that an interceptor shortage is costing lives after a recent deadly strike on Kyiv.
The rapid descent of ballistic missiles contrasts with slower‑moving cruise missiles, meaning Ukrainian defence systems have less time to respond, heightening the risk to civilian and strategic targets.