Air defense supplies are running out: Ukraine needs long-range missiles to hit Russia, analysts

Ukrainian commanders are forced to fight the air war

with a shield, not a sword, writes an American think tank.

To put an end to Russia’s terrorist bombing campaign, even a sharp increase in the supply of air defense systems and ammunition to Ukraine will not be enough, writes the American think tank Atlantic Council’s.

It is noted that Ukraine needs long-range missiles, as well as the political “green light” from Western partners to strike launch sites and related targets on Russian territory.

“As long as Western leaders insist on limiting Ukraine’s ability to retaliate against Russia, Ukrainian commanders will be forced to fight the air war with a shield, not a sword,” the review says.

And to strengthen this shield, Ukraine now needs urgent assistance in the field of air defense, as Russia has launched a series of massive missile attacks, analysts noted.

Russia’s most immediate goal may be to suppress Ukraine’s limited air defense capabilities. While Ukraine has been able to significantly strengthen its air defense systems since Russia’s full-scale invasion began nearly two years ago, Kiev remains heavily dependent on the country’s partners to resupply interceptor missiles and other types of ammunition,” writes the Atlantic Council’s.

It is indicated that at the moment there is a very real danger that Ukraine may exhaust its existing stocks of air defense ammunition in the coming weeks. This is due to the fact that further military assistance from the US and EU to Ukraine is currently in question due to “political obstacles.”

(C)UNIAN 2024