Despite calls for partners to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense with interceptor missiles, Ukraine will clearly face a shortage of these weapons in the coming months without sustained U.S. supplies.
Michal Smetana, Director at the Peace Research Center Prague and Associate Professor of International Studies at Charles University, said this in remarks to Ukrinform, commenting on a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.
“The United States is a key player when it comes to interceptors for Patriot systems. Without American supplies, it is practically clear that Ukraine will face a significant shortage of them this winter,” the expert said.
Michal Smetana / Photo: Michal Smetana/Facebook
According to the expert, the transfer of some of their Patriot interceptor stocks by European countries to Ukraine could provide partial relief, “but it is not a systemic solution.”
In the long term, Smetana believes, new and cheaper systems for defending against ballistic missiles need to be developed. In this regard, he mentioned the pan-European Freyja project.
“However, deploying it against Russian attacks is a medium-term prospect, and even under the most optimistic estimates, unfortunately, this will not be a solution for this winter in Ukraine,” Smetana said.
He added Russia can be expected to try to exploit the situation and concentrate its ballistic attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during the fall and winter.
Read also: UK to provide £100M for Patriot missiles and other air defense systems for Ukraine
As reported, a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group was held on September 8. During the meeting, Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara said Ukraine needs 300 Patriot interceptor missiles from partners’ existing stocks, 500 air-to-air missiles capable of countering cruise missiles, man-portable air defense systems and $2 billion for drones.
Lead photo: Bundeswehr