RIGHT SPEAK: From Patriot Missiles to a Mother and Her Vintage Rifle: Inside UKR’s Air Defense; RUs TRY to Encircle Avdiivka and Drive UKR from Left-Bank Kherson Oblast: 75 Clashes; RU TRIES to Drive UKR Out of Dnipro's Left Bank in Kherson Oblast; UKR Downs ALL RU Drones Launched in 2 Oblasts, LIVE UPDATES and MORE

WSJ: From Patriot Missiles to a Mother and Her Vintage Rifle: Inside Ukraine’s Air Defense:

Defending against aerial threats has grown in importance globally, making Ukraine a test bed for air-defense systems

This winter, Ukraine’s defense against Russian missiles and drones ranges from sophisticated, multimillion-dollar U.S. Patriot systems to Svitlana Ruda, a mother of two with a 40-year-old assault rifle.

Russia has started a widely anticipated bombardment of Ukrainian infrastructure, repeating a campaign last winter that led to mass blackouts and leveled apartment blocks.

Ukraine is now marshaling the various layers of its air defense, a mix of Soviet-era systems and high-tech Western equipment capable of taking out Russia’s best missiles, alongside groups of volunteers like Ruda who train their sights on the long-range drones that Moscow sends in their dozens.

Over the past week, Russia has launched scores of missiles and long-range drones that have hit civilian areas in some of Ukraine’s largest cities. Ukraine has said rocket, missile and drone attacks have damaged infrastructure and residential buildings, killing civilians.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has told Western leaders that his country needs missile-defense systems more than other weapons. But the U.S. and its allies don’t have large inventories of these systems, which can take years to be manufactured.

The war in Ukraine is a test bed for air-defense systems, which have grown in prominence more broadly as drones widen the airborne threat, and more countries—and militant groups—build up their arsenals of missiles and rockets. Their increased use is also boosting orders for the arms companies that make the systems.

“Nobody said that air defense would win a conflict, but its absence will lose one,” said Tom Karako, the director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank.

Air defense has been crucial for Ukraine. It has blunted missiles and drone strikes while stopping Russia’s air force from gaining free rein in Ukrainian skies, preventing it from targeting cities and the military at will.

On Friday, Ukraine’s air force said three Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers were downed in the south of the country, in one of its most successful operations against Russian air power since the start of the war.

Last winter, Russia launched around 1,000 missiles and 1,000 long-range drones at cities and infrastructure, according to Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force. Ukraine shot down around 70% to 75%, he said.

Russia continues to produce missiles despite predictions they would run out. Ukraine’s military intelligence agency estimates that Russia can each month produce about 100 of two different types of cruise missiles, four ultrafast hypersonic ballistic missiles and five ballistic missiles. --->READ MORE HERE

GETTY IMAGES

Russians try to encircle Avdiivka and drive Ukraine's forces from left-bank Kherson Oblast: 75 clashes – General Staff:

The Russian occupiers have carried out attacks on six fronts over the last 24 hours, the hottest spot being near Avdiivka, which the Russians are trying to encircle without success, with 75 combat engagements taking place there yesterday.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook , information as of 06:00 on 23 December

Details : In the area of responsibility of the Pivnich (North) Operational Strategic Group on the Volyn and Polissia fronts, the operational situation remains unchanged.

On the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts, the Russians are maintaining their military presence in the border areas, conducting active sabotage activities to prevent the deployment of Ukrainian troops to vulnerable areas, and increasing the density of minefields along the state border in Russia’s Belgorod Oblast.

In the area of responsibility of the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group on the Kupiansk front , Ukrainian defenders repelled 16 Russian attacks near the settlement of Synkivka (Kharkiv Oblast), where the Russians were trying to break through the Ukrainian defences.

On the Lyman front, the Russians did not conduct any assault operations.

On the Bakhmut front , Ukrainian soldiers repelled eight Russian attacks near the settlements of Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka and Andriivka (Donetsk Oblast).

In the area of responsibility of the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group on the Avdiivka front, Ukrainian Defence Forces persisted in holding back the Russians, as they have not stopped their attempts to encircle the town of Avdiivka. Ukrainian soldiers are steadfastly holding the line, inflicting significant losses on the Russians. The Ukrainian army repelled 23 Russian attacks east of Novobakhmutivka, Stepove and Avdiivka, and 17 more near Pervomaiske and Nevelske (Donetsk Oblast). --->READ MORE HERE