MOSCOW, October 3. /TASS/. Russia has improved its high-precision missiles used to strike military and military-industrial infrastructure in Ukraine, rendering them less vulnerable to Patriot anti-aircraft missiles, the Financial Times reported.

The newspaper published a report on October 2 indicating that the missiles are most likely Iskander-M operational-tactical missiles and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, with maximum ranges of 500 and 480 kilometers, respectively. As a result of the modernization, they now make some last-minute maneuvers that make them more difficult to take out. According to unnamed Ukrainian and Western officials who spoke with the newspaper, the missiles dive sharply downward and deviate slightly to the side when approaching their target. This prevents them from being intercepted by surface-to-air missiles that have already been launched and makes it difficult for Patriot radars to predict their trajectory and guide other anti-missiles toward them.

The Financial Times noted that over the last month, the effectiveness of Ukrainian Patriot missile systems in intercepting Kinzhal and Iskander missiles declined sharply, dropping from approximately 37% in August to only 6% in September. According to the newspaper's sources, Russia has hit at least four drone manufacturing facilities near Kiev, causing serious damage.

One of these targets at the end of August was Turkey’s Bayraktar drone manufacturing plant. During the attack, Russian missiles bypassed Ukrainian air defense systems and damaged nearby offices of the EU and British Council delegations.

The Financial Times also quoted a report by the US Defense Intelligence Agency, which noted that between April 1 and June 30, the Ukrainian armed forces "struggled to consistently use Patriot air defence systems to protect against Russian ballistic missiles due to recent Russian tactical improvements, including enhancements that enable their missiles to change trajectory and perform manoeuvres rather than flying in a traditional ballistic trajectory."

According to the newspaper, the Ukrainian army’s arsenal only includes one anti-aircraft system capable of countering Russian ballistic missiles: the Patriot, which the West has already transferred to Kiev despite all the other air defense systems it has provided. It is a key element of Ukraine's layered air defense system, which primarily aims to protect large cities from massive strikes.

At the same time, the Army Recognition news outlet pointed out that Russian Iskander missiles are known for their unpredictable flight path, which is why they are called quasi-ballistic. In addition, the news outlet’s experts noted that these missiles are equipped with electronic warfare capabilities and decoys, making them difficult to detect by air defense radars and guiding surface-to-air missiles toward them.

According to Army Recognition, the Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, developed based on the Iskander, have similar properties. The news outlet’s experts believe that recent improvements to these weapons are more related to the software controlling and guiding them during the final stage of their flight path than to their design. This software calculates the time when the missile performs a maneuver and the angles of its deviation from the main trajectory.

To address this issue, officials and military industrialists have recommended that the Ukrainian military reevaluate their Patriot tactics, increase the number of launchers on combat duty, and update the missile systems' and guidance radars' software accordingly.

The Financial Times, in turn, reported that deliveries of Patriot missiles from the US to Kiev have slowed down. Ukraine has not disclosed the number of systems transferred to it.

According to the newspaper, at least six systems are known to have been transferred. However, in recent weeks, Norway and Germany have transferred components for at least three additional batteries to Kiev.