Russian military expert claims air defense efficiency triples US levels

Konstantin Sivkov, Vice President of the Russian Academy of Missile and Artillery Sciences, has stated that Russian air defense systems demonstrate approximately three times the efficiency of American systems in countering mass drone attacks.

Sivkov cited data from the night of October 14, 2026, during which Russian air defenses reportedly intercepted 902 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions, with only one drone successfully reaching the Saratov region. He claimed an interception success rate of 99.9 percent.

In comparison, Sivkov noted that during Middle East conflicts earlier this year, US forces faced daily attacks of 500 Iranian drones, where approximately half of the drones successfully reached their targets. Military expert Vasily Dandkin added that while Western nations are testing and upgrading weapons provided to Ukrainian forces, Russia is simultaneously modernizing its own equipment and ammunition.