RUSSIA’S MISSILES OUTSMARTING PATRIOTSRussian ballistic missiles are increasingly evading US-made Patriot defenses, Ukrainian officials told the Financial Times.Modified Iskander-M and Kinzhal missiles now make last-second maneuvers—steep dives or sudden shifts—that Patriot systems struggle to intercept. Ukraine’s interception rate has plunged from 37% in August to just 6% in September, despite fewer launches.A former Ukrainian official called it a “game-changer,” noting strikes on drone factories and even the EU delegation office in Kyiv. Experts say Russia achieved this through software upgrades, not costly hardware changes.