Air Drive spokesman Colonel Yuriy Ifnat acknowledged that Ukraine’s air defenses have been unable to intercept any of the 29 ballistic missiles launched by Russia through the assault on the evening of July 6, calling the intercepts “with a low success charge to say the least.”
Ifnat bluntly said that Ukraine doesn’t have the means to counter Russian ballistic missiles.
“To shoot down a ballistic missile, you want the belongings to do it. We’ve sufficient techniques, however what we’d like is a gradual provide of missiles.”
He additionally mentioned that the Russian authorities is conscious of this scarcity and is “benefiting from the truth that Ukraine, and certainly the world, is dealing with an acute scarcity of PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptor missiles.”
“That is why we’re more and more specializing in ballistic missile assaults.”
Ifnat mentioned Ukraine will proceed to make use of all accessible diplomatic channels to strengthen its air protection capabilities.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the EU, Vsevolod Chentsov, instructed Euronews’ morning flagship present “Europe Immediately” that the Kremlin was sending a transparent message with the assault.
“Russia is sending a message that it needs to proceed this battle,” he mentioned.
“However make no mistake, each Ukraine and its allies will ship our message again, as a result of the battle will transfer again to Russia. And Ukraine already has the reply, and we name it dynamic sanctions.”
Chentsov famous that Kiev is stepping up medium- and long-range assaults on Moscow-occupied areas in Russia and Ukraine. However he acknowledged that Ukraine urgently wants anti-ballistic air defenses, aside from offensive operations in Kiev that put stress on Russia’s battle machine.
The problem is scheduled to be mentioned on the NATO summit in Ankara beginning Tuesday.
“It is rather necessary that the world, particularly america and our European companions, depart the NATO summit in Ankara with a powerful willpower to help Ukraine’s air protection and thus the safety of civilian lives,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned Monday morning.
“So long as Patriot missiles stay in allied stockpiles, Russia will solely be inspired to proceed ‘destroying’ residential buildings. America and Europe are highly effective sufficient to cease this terrorism.”
The U.S.-made Patriot system stays Ukraine’s solely efficient protection in opposition to ballistic missiles, however officers say the availability of interceptors is critically dwindling.
Manufactured within the U.S. by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, the Patriots have been extensively trusted by U.S. allies, particularly the Gulf states and Ukraine. However the U.S. and Israel’s battle in opposition to Iran has depleted almost a 3rd of the world’s stockpile of Patriot interceptor missiles. In keeping with some estimates, Gulf international locations have laid off greater than 1,100 folks prior to now few months.
Lockheed Martin produces about 600 interceptors a 12 months, or about 60 to 65 a month, Zelenskiy mentioned.
Ukrainian officers say Russia produces about 120 ballistic missiles a month, together with different techniques, and has more and more tailor-made assaults to take advantage of Ukraine’s air defenses, lately firing about 30 ballistic missiles an evening.
