Ukraine adviser: Electronic warfare cannot redirect incoming ballistic missiles

Electronic warfare does not cause Shahed drones to crash, Beskrestnov said. Instead, it interferes with their ability to locate and strike targets, giving air defense forces additional opportunities to destroy them.

He also stressed that electronic warfare systems cannot divert ballistic missiles.

“Even if electronic warfare could do that, we would not use that capability in cities. It is better for a missile to hit the grounds of an empty factory at night than a neighboring residential complex because of electronic warfare interference,” the expert explained.

Electronic warfare technology can affect guided aerial bombs, or KABs, Beskrestnov said, but the process is difficult because Russia is constantly improving protections for its guidance systems.

“No one would dare divert a KAB that is flying toward a factory in a city. Diverting a KAB outside a populated area will not destroy it. It will fall on our territory and cause damage,” he added.

In June, Flash reported that Russian forces had begun using Molniya-type drones on frequencies that most electronic detection systems “do not see, or see poorly.”

In July and early August, Russia intensified ballistic missile strikes on Ukraine, launching dozens of missiles at Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast every few days. On the night of Aug. 5, Russia launched four Zircon missiles, 24 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles and 115 drones. Ukrainian air defenses failed to intercept any of the missiles.