Ukraine has found its air defense capabilities tested as Russia intensifies its barrage of missile and drone attacks.
A rocket launches from a S-400 missile system at the Ashuluk military base in Southern Russia on September 22, 2020 during the "Caucasus-2020" military drills gathering China, Iran, Pakistan and Myanmar troops, along with ex-Soviet Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus.
As a result, as reported by the Associated Press, this could leave the country in an exposed state.
This statement came from a Ukrainian Air Force official. In another statement on national television Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat stated "Intense Russian air attacks force us to use a corresponding amount of air defense means. That's why we need more of them, as Russia keeps increasing it's air attack capabilities". Ihnat continued, "At the moment, we are completely dependent on the supply of guided air defense missiles, for both Soviet and Western systems ".
President Volodymyr Zelensky echoed a similar sentiment on January 7th 2024 during a Swedish defense conference "We lack a very concrete and understandable thing, that is air defense systems." He went on to say that, "We lack both on the battlefield and in our cities".
On the Russian side of the war, at a meeting with the Russian Military Brass, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated Ukraine's efforts to strengthen their military capabilities "Won't change the situation on the line of contact and will only drag out the military conflict".
"We retain the strategic initiative along the entire line of contact," Minister Shoigu said. "We will consistently continue to achieve the objectives of the special military operation". This is the terminology used by the Kremlin to describe the conflict in Ukraine.
How Does The West Fit In?
Looking over to the West where several countries have been providing various forms of aid there have been some recent hold-ups. In the same article, the Associated Press went on to assert that despite the intentions of the U.S. President Joe Biden's administration to send billions of dollars in additional aid to Kyiv, the plan is currently stalled in Congress. Additionally, Europe's commitment to deliver 1 million artillery shells within a year has fallen short, with only approximately 300,000 delivered to date.
In addition to Cyberattacks from Russian hackers, the war will likely continue and perhaps escalate.
However, there is a glimmer of positivity as there has been a significant prisoner-of-war exchange between the two parties.
