Don’t need to hit it at the apogee. You could just as easily shoot at it on it’s way up or on it’s way down. And if you look at some of the MDA powerpoints that’s exactly what they have in mind.

Ideally, yes, you should shot down an ICBM during its ascending phase while it is slow, leaves a large IR track and before it releases decoys. Depending on where the ICBM is fired from in Russia that is simply not possible.

I am a bit sceptical concerning the interception of an ICBM during a descending phase, with its speed and decoys deployed.

But I stand to be corrected.