Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov issued an urgent plea for more PAC-3 interceptor missiles for the country's patriot air defense systems. Speaking at NATO headquarters in Belgium on 12/2, Fedorov highlighted Russia's recent large-scale ballistic missile attacks against Ukraine, emphasizing that PAC-3 missiles are the most effective countermeasure. "We urgently need them, as Russia is attempting to destroy Ukraine's infrastructure," he stated.
Fedorov further emphasized air defense capability as Ukraine's top priority. He urged members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group to "urgently provide PAC-3 missiles" from their stockpiles. The minister also called for enhanced cooperation through Ukraine's Priority Requirements List (PURL). "This program is working very well, and we are receiving extremely important supplies," he noted.
This urgent appeal follows a recent wave of intense Russian attacks. Russia launched a coordinated assault on Ukraine using 25 missiles and 219 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The Ukrainian Air Force implicitly admitted that 9 Iskander-M ballistic missiles, modified S-300 air defense munitions, and 19 UAVs had bypassed their defenses during the operation.
The latest attacks caused widespread damage and disruption. Nearly 2,600 apartment buildings and high-rise structures in Kyiv lost heating, bringing the total number of buildings lacking heating systems in the city to 3,500. DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, reported that over 100,000 households lost power, and one of its thermal power plants was hit, though the specific location was not disclosed. A few days earlier, Russian forces reportedly launched 11 Iskander-M ballistic missiles targeting the Vasilkov airbase on the outskirts of Kyiv, believed to be home to Ukraine's F-16 squadron. Open-source intelligence accounts indicated that at least 9 missiles struck their targets.
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PAC-3 MSE missiles on the production line in the US. Photo: *Lockheed Martin*. |
These assaults highlight the crucial role of advanced air defense systems. Western nations have provided Ukraine with numerous modern air defense systems, with the most powerful being the patriot and SAMP/T. Ukraine's patriot systems are equipped with the most modern US-made PAC-3 MSE missiles, which cost an average of 4 million USD each and can intercept ballistic missiles at a range of 60 km.
Despite receiving sophisticated Western systems like the patriot, Ukraine's air defense network has recently become overwhelmed and depleted of ammunition. Many patriot systems have also been targeted and destroyed by Russia. Ukrainian officials acknowledge that the country's air defense faces severe challenges because interceptor missiles are being expended faster than partners can provide aid.
The dire situation has prompted criticism regarding the pace of aid. President Zelensky criticized European nations at the end of January, blaming them for Ukraine's air defense missile shortages. This has left units specializing in ballistic missile defense without weapons. However, the *Financial Times*, citing two unnamed officials familiar with the situation, asserted that Zelensky's allegations were inaccurate.
Nguyen Tien (According to AFP, AP, Reuters)
