Russia Working to Further Increase Air Defence Production Amid Sustained Ukrainian Strikes

<p >Russia’s defence sector is working to further increase production of air defence systems in order to facilitate greater protection of industrial and other facilities, with the issue having been discussed at a meeting of the special group of the military-industrial commission attended by Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev. "We will discuss the issues of ensuring protection of industrial infrastructure facilities and the storage facilities of the Federal Agency for State Reserves," Medvedev stated at the time. “During a meeting of the special group of the Russian military and industrial commission, we reviewed the issues of additionally increasing production of air defence means in order to protect civilian facilities and the facilities of industrial and military infrastructure,” he added, with the deputy chairman at the time also visiting a chemical plant in the Bryansk region that was attacked by Ukrainian drones. The growing attention to increased production of air defence systems follows multiple successful Ukrainian attacks using both drones and ballistic missiles against high value Russian targets. Drone attacks launched from Ukraine have achieved multiple successes against high value targets, with their strikes having been supplemented from November 2024 by attacks using Western supplied missiles, including ATACMS ballistic missiles from the United States, to <a href=" >attack further targets</a> across Russian territory.</p><p ><img src=" title="Apartment Block in Moscow After Ukrainian Drone Attack"></p><p >Russia’s defence sector notably produces significantly more air defence systems than that of any other country, with output of long ranged systems exceeding that of all NATO members combined. In August 2000 a <a href=" program</a> for the rejuvenation of the Russian missile industry was authorised by the Kremlin, with  three major new facilities ordered built for producing S-400 long range air defence systems, including a new wing of the Obukhov Plant in St. Petersburg, the Avitek Plant in Kirov which was throughly modernised, and the NMP Plant in Nizhniy Novgorod. While this proved a lengthy process, with the facilities were only ready to produce S-400s on a large scale in the latter half of the following decade from around 2016, the facilitated a <a href=" scale of production</a> allowing <a href=" regiments</a> worth of S-400s to be produced annually – alongside production of other long ranged systems such as the <a href=" href=" Despite this considerable output, and the confirmation of the S-400’s <a href=" target="_blank">high performance in combat</a>, the large volumes of drones and missiles used in attacks, and the vastness of Russian territories requiring protection, has caused difficulties. Low cost drones have posed particular challenges, with the development of new air defence systems having been initiated specifically to tackle them.  </p><p ><img src=" title="Surface to Air Missile Launch From S-400 System"></p><p >A notable example of a major success in the drone campaign being launched from Ukraine was the <a href=" >targeting</a> of the Kombinat Kristall fuel depot near the primary operational facility of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet, Engels Airbase, causing large scale fires on January 8 and explosions that affect the operations of the Tu-160 strategic bomber fleet. The targeting of airbases was far from unprecedented, with an <a href=" target="_blank">attack launched</a> using over 70 drones on June 13, 2024 having targeted Morosovsk Airfield in Russia’s Rostov region, approximately 250 kilometres behind the frontlines, which served as a forward operating base for Su-34 strike fighters. Attacks on civilian infrastructure, as well as residential blocks, have also been made.</p><p > Western advisors, logisticians, combatants, and other personnel have played key roles in supporting attacks on Russian targets from Ukraine, and in facilitating more rapid integration of new equipment including satellite reconnaissance, guidance and communications systems. The New York Times <a href=" >observed</a> that year regarding their operations: “Commandos from other NATO countries, including Britain, France, Canada and Lithuania, also have been working inside Ukraine… training and advising Ukrainian troops and providing an on-the-ground conduit for weapons and other aid.” The report emphasised the sheer “scale of the secretive effort to assist Ukraine that is underway.” While NATO members would for political reasons be unable to attack Russia directly, the war in Ukraine has provided an opportunity to maximise damage to their adversary’s military and civilian infrastructure by launching attacks from Ukrainian soil in cooperation with local forces. </p>