Are Ukraine drones really exposing gaps in Russia's defense?

The question of whether Ukraine drones are exposing gaps in Russia’s air defenses has intensified after major strikes on June 18. Ukrainian drones hit locations across Moscow in what was described as the largest attack since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A Moscow oil refinery supplying 40% of the region’s fuel was reported to catch fire and production appeared to halt for several days, while Russia’s largest airport saw evacuations. Eyewitness clips circulated showing what appeared to be failed interceptions. Ruslan Leviev, a Russian dissident and Conflict Intelligence Team founder, said the impression comes from non-specialists seeing a missile pass without hitting a drone, while noting his team downed more than 90% of UAVs. Anatoliy Khrapchynskyi, a Ukrainian aviation expert, attributed the breach to degradation in Russia’s defense architecture and improvements in Ukraine’s strike capabilities, including challenges posed by small composite-material drones.