Ukraine bypasses Moscow's three rings of air defense to strike key targets

Ukraine is successfully striking military, logistics, and fuel infrastructure targets inside Russia by bypassing air defenses, including Moscow's multi-layered protection, according to former Ukrainian intelligence chief Mykola Malomuzh. Malomuzh stated that Ukrainian forces systematically distract Russian air defense systems to hit specific targets, noting Moscow has three rings of protection, with four or five around critical sites. He said hundreds of strikes have hit the Moscow region this year, including four oil refineries, with the Kapotnya plant being a key fuel supplier. Ukraine uses electronic decoy systems to create phantom targets and overload Russian defenses, a result of technical and intelligence work. A massive strike on the Moscow region occurred on September 20, involving multiple drone types, which analysts say succeeded by creating a "blind corridor" after a ballistic missile hit an air defense node.