U.S. President Donald Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last year that he had “no cards” in the fight against Russia. But since the meeting, Ukraine has shown it can take the war to Russia.
The opposite is also true. And it is part of the equation: you send cheap drones to force the use of expensive air defense. It is a war of economic attrition.
Do provide citations to substantiate the claim that Russia is spending more on air defence than the west is on drones. Meanwhile, if you want to see actual economic war of attrition then go look at what Russian missiles are doing to infrastructure in Ukraine where there are no air defences. For example, around 70% of imports and exports went through Odessa which is now blockaded. And Ukrainian warehouses are being systematically eliminated. https://dengi.ua/en/business/9761324-russian-strikes-on-warehouses-how-the-war-is-reshaping-ukraine-s-logistics
No, Pantsir also has guns for close range interceptions, and you’ve just walked back your original claim by an order of magnitude. But even if we take your 200k number, how would you say that compares to not having AD at all which is the case in Ukraine? Do you think it’s worse having all your infrastructure destroyed or better, if it is a matter of attrition which side do you think is coming out ahead here?
Guns are very much effective against large and slow drones that Ukraine sends into Russia. There are tons of videos of them being shot down by guns. It sounds like you’re really out of your depth here. You also dodged my question here.
The opposite is also true. And it is part of the equation: you send cheap drones to force the use of expensive air defense. It is a war of economic attrition.
Right, and one side has a whole tot more to send
Do provide citations to substantiate the claim that Russia is spending more on air defence than the west is on drones. Meanwhile, if you want to see actual economic war of attrition then go look at what Russian missiles are doing to infrastructure in Ukraine where there are no air defences. For example, around 70% of imports and exports went through Odessa which is now blockaded. And Ukrainian warehouses are being systematically eliminated. https://dengi.ua/en/business/9761324-russian-strikes-on-warehouses-how-the-war-is-reshaping-ukraine-s-logistics
$50k for long range drone vs $2M for missile defense. So it’s $1m to attack vs $2M to defend.
https://defence-blog.com/cheap-drones-are-beating-russias-billion-dollar-air-defenses/
In practice Russia uses Pantsir https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/96K6_Pantsir-S1_(SA-22_Greyhound)_Russian_Short-Range_Air_Defense_Gun::Missile_System which has point defences rather than just using missiles. Russia has also developed Yolka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yolka_(drone_interceptor) interceptor drones. Also, cost of production in Russia is far lower than it is in the west. What you’re reading in your link is projection, their analysis is based on what’s happening to yanks in the war on Iran. Anybody who thinks Russia uses S300/400 or Buk systems to intercept drones is not engaging with reality.
Pantsir is missiles, just many smaller ones. It’s still $200k missile to stop a $50k drone.
https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2026/07/08/cheap-ukrainian-drones-are-beating-russias-billion-dollar-s-400-s-300-and-pantsir-air-defense-systems/
Reported prices include foreign exchange rate differences. If Pantsir was built in the US it would be $2M per missile instead of $200k.
No, Pantsir also has guns for close range interceptions, and you’ve just walked back your original claim by an order of magnitude. But even if we take your 200k number, how would you say that compares to not having AD at all which is the case in Ukraine? Do you think it’s worse having all your infrastructure destroyed or better, if it is a matter of attrition which side do you think is coming out ahead here?
Guns aren’t effective against drones which is why the Pantsir-SMD-E was ordered which removes the guns to add more missiles for drone defense.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantsir_missile_system
Guns are very much effective against large and slow drones that Ukraine sends into Russia. There are tons of videos of them being shot down by guns. It sounds like you’re really out of your depth here. You also dodged my question here.