As of: March 26, 2024, 9:49 p.m
By: Bettina Menzel
Comments
Press
Split
Patriot air defense missiles fire Russian missiles over the Ukrainian capital Kiev.
© IMAGO/Gabriel Romero/Zuma Wire
Air raids on Kiev have recently increased.
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister is therefore calling for more Patriot air defense systems - in his view the only means against a certain type of weapon.
Kiev - Kiev's lack of ammunition is reflected in the war in Ukraine: the air defense is becoming more holey, Putin's troops are gaining ground.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba found
clear words about the situation in an interview with
Politico magazine published on Monday.
Ammunition shortage in the Ukraine war: Kiev is under fire – “Give us the damn Patriots”
On Monday, Russia attacked the Ukrainian capital with ballistic missiles - the third airstrike on Kiev in five days.
There are no atrocities that Russia would not commit, including a missile attack on the heart of a city of over a million people, Kuleba wrote on the X (formerly Twitter) platform.
“This is a reminder that Ukraine urgently needs more air defense, especially Patriot systems [...],” continued the minister, who was in Kiev during the airstrike.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, both Russian missiles fired on Monday were intercepted.
An hour after the attack, Kuleba spoke to
Politico
- and became even clearer: "Give us the damn Patriots," the politician told the US newspaper.
His demand comes against the backdrop of declining military aid from the West: In the USA, an important military package has been stuck in Congress for months.
Meanwhile, the EU is having problems making up for the lack of US arms deliveries.
“If we had enough air defense systems, namely Patriots, we could protect not only the lives of our people, but also our economy from destruction,” Kuleba further emphasized in the interview.
Ukraine War: Patriots as an effective defense against “massively upgraded guided bombs”
Patriots are considered an effective means of combating ballistic missiles, but can also be used against cruise missiles, aircraft or drones.
The US-made surface-to-air missiles are said to have even successfully combated the Russian Kinschal hypersonic missile, something that was long considered impossible.
“If Ukrainian troops lose positions, we should look at the reason,” said the Ukrainian foreign minister, referring to Russia’s recent territorial gains.
It is because “Russia has begun to use massively upgraded guided bombs from the air,” said the minister in an interview with
Politico
.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba (archive photo).
© Mindaugas Kulbis/AP/dpa
He was probably referring to the projectiles, also known as glide bombs, which played a major role in the battle for Avdiivka.
Russian planes release these bombs far behind the front.
As the US war experts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported, Moscow has recently managed to improve this type of weapon, which makes fighting it even more difficult for Ukraine.
My news
Sweater, park bench, daffodils: The hidden messages in Princess Kate's video reading
Seriously injured ski jumping ace with devastating bedside diagnosis
Baby happiness after the end of his career: Olympic ski champion becomes a father for the first time a few days after retirement
Bankruptcy of German industry giant: next traditional company goes bankrupt
“That’s disrespectful”: Civil servants earn as little as citizens’ benefit recipients – and the traffic lights are watching
“Dragon Fire” as a Ukraine game changer?
Laser cannon hits “at the speed of light” read
Glide bombs in the Ukraine war: “Just fall on our heads” – calls for Patriots are getting louder
“You can’t block them,” Kuleba said of the use of glide bombs in the Ukraine war.
“They just fall on your head and destroy everything.
This is how we lose positions and the only way to prevent this is to shoot down the planes carrying the bombs,” he added.
“We need air defense systems on the fronts.”
After an air strike on Kiev last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also called on Western allies for more air defense systems, especially Patriots.
In addition to the Patriot systems, the Ukrainian air defense also has Iris-T systems and Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, which form different layers of the protective shield.