Massive Russian attacks
General fears an acute shortage of ammunition in the air defense system
January 4, 2024, 10:45 a.m
Russia has been firing hundreds of rockets, drones and cruise missiles into Ukraine for days. This could push the country to the limit of its capacity. In the medium and long term, Kiev needs “the help of Western countries to replenish its missile stocks,” said a Ukrainian general.
Ukrainian General Serhiy Nayev has warned of an acute shortage of ammunition in his country’s air defense system. The ammunition for Ukraine’s mobile air defense systems is currently sufficient “to withstand the next violent attacks,” said Najew during a visit to troops near Kiev. In the medium and long term, Ukraine “of course needs the help of Western countries to replenish its missile stocks.” “It’s primarily about more ammunition.”
“Of course we would like to have more missiles for the Patriots and the systems themselves,” said the general commander of the joint Ukrainian armed forces responsible for the mobile air defense units in the capital Kiev and in the north of Ukraine, referring to US Patriot defense systems. Because the Russian army wants to “really exhaust the air defense system.”
From Kiev’s perspective, Russia’s massive wave of attacks on Ukraine at the turn of the year highlighted the urgency for increased Western supplies of air defense systems, combat drones and medium-range missiles.
Russian attacks have been sweeping Ukraine for days
Fighting between Kiev and Moscow has intensified in recent days. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he would increase attacks on military targets in Ukraine – allegedly in response to a Ukrainian attack on the Russian city of Belgorod. However, Russia had already massively attacked civilian targets in Ukraine. Dozens of people died and many more were injured.
Patriot defense systems are a critical part of military assistance to Ukraine. They are used to combat larger targets in the air such as aircraft, drones, rockets and cruise missiles and, according to Ukrainian military information, also fire Russian hypersonic missiles.
The system consists of a radar system and several launchers for defense missiles, the majority of which are produced exclusively in the USA. Germany has so far delivered two such systems to Ukraine.