As Russia intensifies its aerial assault on Ukrainian cities, the Ukrainian Air Force has claimed that an upgraded Russian Iskander-M ballistic missile with radar decoys has become much harder to intercept for the US-origin Patriot missile defense systems. 

Yuriy Ihnat, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, said on May 24, 2025: “We and our partners have information that the enemy’s missiles flying a ballistic trajectory – specifically the Iskander-M – have been improved and modernized.”

Ihnat claimed that the updated missiles are now adopting quasi-ballistic flight paths, which make it more challenging for Patriot systems to track and intercept them.

“The flight of a ballistic missile along such a quasi-ballistic trajectory — when the missile doesn’t just fly in a straight line like it’s falling, but actually performs maneuvers in flight — makes it more difficult for the Patriot system, which calculates the interception point using software, to predict exactly where the missile will be,” he explained.

He further revealed that each missile can release radar decoys during its final approach to the target, which confuses the missile defense systems. “It is about shooting down radar traps that each missile can release during the approach to the target,” he said.

In general, radar decoys deployed with missiles are countermeasures intended to trick or confuse adversary radar systems, thus increasing the missile’s efficacy and survivability.

They obscure the missile’s actual path, produce false targets, or overwhelm radar defenses, making it more difficult for enemies to track or intercept the missile. In essence, these decoys could be considered a very broad analogy of the countermeasures.

The Iskander’s decoys, for one, are ejected at high altitudes or during the terminal phase, often in response to radar illumination by air defense systems. However, an automatic release at predetermined points may also be possible. These decoys create false radar signatures that confuse or saturate enemy systems and mimic the missile’s radar cross-section (RCS) to evade interceptors like the Patriot PAC-3.

These new revelations about the “upgraded” Iskander-M were made by the Ukrainian Air Force as Russia pummelled Ukraine with what is believed to be one of its most intense aerial assaults since it launched the invasion in February 2022. The assault continued on May 25 and targeted critical infrastructure and air defense systems with a combination of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones. 

However, there is a tiny possibility that these claims might be an exaggeration.

Indian Air Force veteran and military expert Squadron Leader Vijainder K. Thakur argued in a recent EurAsian Times article that Inhat’s claim is intriguing because the Iskander-M, operational since the early 2000s, has always incorporated advanced countermeasures designed to defeat missile defenses, including quasi-ballistic trajectory, in-flight maneuvering, stealth shaping, and radar decoys.

It is also pertinent to note that the Pentagon first acknowledged the Iskander-M’s decoy capability in March 2022, citing intelligence sources. It said the missile had a range of about 310 miles, but evidence suggested they could travel much farther.

At the time, an unidentified intelligence officer told The New York Times that the decoys are activated once air defense systems target them, implying that they might not be deployed until the Iskander-M missile detects a threat.

According to publicly available information, these decoys are small, dart-shaped devices approximately 30 cm (1 foot) long, white with an orange tail, and ejected from the base of the 9M723 ballistic missile. Each missile can carry at least six decoys stored in tubes at its rear.

Before the Ukraine invasion, this decoy capability was a closely guarded secret, not included in export variants like the Iskander-E, to prevent Western analysis.

If the Iskander-M already followed a quasi-ballistic trajectory and employed radar decoys, Inhat’s statement leaves confusing loopholes.

Thakur argues, “Taking Ihnat’s shootdown claim at face value, it’s plausible that his comments about missile upgrades were aimed at the KN-23, not the Iskander-M. This suggests he was alluding to Russian modifications of the North Korean missile. The KN-23, sometimes dubbed the “North Korean Iskander” due to its external resemblance, is a different beast.”

Ukraine has claimed on multiple occasions that the Patriot has intercepted the Russian Kinzhal hypersonic aero-ballistic missile. This missile travels at more than five times the speed of sound and follows an unpredictable trajectory, making its interception extremely difficult.

In fact, the demand for Patriots saw an uptick following these claims, which first appeared in 2023. Kyiv appears to admit that Russian missiles may have “defeated” the Patriots but says interception remains possible. 

Nonetheless, Inhat said that while these countermeasures complicate the interception, they do not make it impossible. “I think our partners are already working to improve the system’s capabilities.”

Ukraine Wants More Patriots 

The invasion of Ukraine marked a turning point for the Patriot system, with Lockheed Martin experiencing a surge in demand and popularity. This trend peaked in May 2023, when Patriot systems delivered by the US reportedly intercepted multiple hypersonic Kinzhal missiles.

The US government and officials actively promoted the Patriot system as a critical defense against Russian missiles. The Patriot system has consistently demonstrated its capability by successfully intercepting a wide range of Russian weaponry, including multiple aircraft. Last year, the system was credited with downing multiple Russian Su-34 fighter bombers. Additionally, in June last year, a US Army official disclosed that a US-made Patriot air defense system was responsible for shooting down a Russian A-50 Mainstay airborne early warning and control aircraft over the Sea of Azov in January 2024. 

Needless to say, it is the most capable and advanced air defense system in Ukraine’s inventory, which is why Ukraine is now making concerted attempts to acquire more Patriot systems.

For instance, last month, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with CBS News that his country was ready to purchase 10 Patriot air defense systems for $15 billion to shield densely populated cities from Russian attacks. He said the offer was made directly to Donald Trump.

“There is the Patriot system, and you have many of them. You also have production capacity. There are a few steps to protect Ukraine. Step number one: one system costs $1.5 billion — we are ready to buy it,” the Ukrainian President said.

More recently, Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov held talks with Joseph DeAntona, Vice President for Land and Air Defence Systems at Raytheon, earlier this month to discuss an urgent need in Ukraine for additional air defense systems. “We stand ready to invest in this area, as it concerns the lives of our citizens and the resilience of the state,” he stated.

Raytheon Technologies Corporation primarily manufactures the Patriot missile defense system. Raytheon is responsible for the system’s radar, command-and-control components, and PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles.

As Ukraine currently operates six Patriot batteries. Defense analysts estimate that at least 25 would be necessary to provide full territorial coverage. Each system enhances Ukraine’s capacity to intercept fast-moving threats, particularly in civilian-heavy areas.

Zelenskyy’s proposal to buy 10 additional Patriots was earlier rebuffed, favoring ceasefire negotiations with Moscow instead.