(Dan Tri) – Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted that Russia’s attack campaign on Ukraine’s energy facilities was partly aimed at destroying the country’s defense industry.
Russian Su-34 fighter jets bomb (Illustration: Russian Ministry of Defense).
The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed that the development of the defense industry over time could allow Ukraine to maintain its defense capabilities against Russia and meet its long-term national security needs.
However, to do that, Kiev needs to have more Western air defense missile systems to deal with Russia’s massive attacks.
Ukrainian officials have expressed their intention to expand Ukraine’s defense industry at home and abroad since the beginning of the full-blown conflict.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that providing Kiev with Western air defense capabilities will be an important factor in protecting Ukraine’s defense industry, thereby, in the long term,
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently emphasized that Ukraine lacks an air defense system and that only air defense systems provided by the West, specifically the Patriot system, allow the country to defend against increased attack campaigns.
ISW continues to assess that the United States will not need to send large security aid packages to Ukraine indefinitely if Kiev can sufficiently expand its defense industrial capabilities.
Ukraine is very actively promoting negotiations with partners and allies on upgrading the air defense system.
Specifically, Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said on April 12 that `active negotiations` are being conducted with allies to receive two Patriot air defense systems and one SAMP-T system.
Mr. Kuleba, speaking about negotiations to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense, noted that the decision to supply Patriot missiles depends on Washington, `because this is an American system.`
`We know exactly where everything is. Active negotiations are underway on two Patriot complexes and one SAMP-T complex,` he said.
SAMP-T-MAMBA is Europe’s first long-range anti-missile system, capable of destroying enemy aircraft at ranges from 3 to 100km and ballistic missiles at ranges from 3 to 25km, with a ceiling
Ukraine received one SAMP-T complex in 2023.
ASTER 30 SAMP-T air defense missile complex (Photo: SIRPA Air).
Previously, Mr. Kuleba, in his speech at the Wartime Diplomacy Forum, identified five priorities for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2024 and was the first to highlight the provision of air defense to Ukraine.
Also on Thursday, April 11, Mr. Kuleba called on the French Foreign Minister to take immediate action to provide air defense to Kiev and said that Ukraine would not lose the Trypillya Thermal Power Plant if it had enough Patriot missiles.
Notable comments in ISW’s April 2 report:
First, President Vladimir Putin admitted that Russia’s attack campaign against Ukraine’s energy facilities was partly aimed at destroying the country’s defense industry, and confirmed ISW’s current assessment.
Second, ISW continues to assess that the development of Ukraine’s defense industrial base over time could enable Ukraine to maintain its defense capabilities against Russia and meet its long-term national security needs,
Third, the Russian military is producing and using a new subsonic air-to-surface cruise missile called the Kh-69 as part of its ongoing efforts to improve its ability to attack and penetrate defense systems.
Wednesday, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said it prevented a group of Central Asians from carrying out a terrorist attack on a Russian military facility in an area controlled by Moscow.
Fifth, the Russian military recently confirmed advances in its offensive near Avdiivka and Donetsk.
Friday, Moscow is said to be sending about 2,400 soldiers from the Eastern Military District currently stationed in Russia to fight in Ukraine to compensate for personnel losses at the front.
