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<\/p>\nDespite 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
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Michal Smetana \/ Photo: Michal Smetana\/Facebook<\/p>\n
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.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n