Ukrainian advisor: Only Patriot can intercept Russian missiles

Ukraine's presidential adviser called on the West to send more Patriot missiles, saying only this system can counter Russia's new generation of missiles.

"Russia's tactics are clear. They deploy large numbers of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to overload air defense systems, combined with ballistic missiles to attack infrastructure," Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said in an interview published on July 28.

Mr. Podolyak said that this Russian tactic was less effective in the capital Kiev, because the Ukrainian military had built a multi-layered air defense network based on systems donated by the West. However, Ukrainian officials admitted that Russian airstrikes had caused chaos in the south of the country, including Odessa, because the defense network there was much thinner.

"We do not have enough modern air defense systems like Patriot, only they can block new Russian missiles like Kinzhal and Oniks. The lack of Patriot complexes makes it impossible for us to protect the entire airspace," said the Ukrainian presidential advisor.

German Patriot missile launcher deployed in Slovakia in 2022. Photo: German Ministry of Defense

Podolyak said Ukraine needed 10-12 Patriot batteries or so to cover its entire airspace, stressing that recent attacks on Odessa showed that providing additional anti-aircraft missiles was the right decision both economically and morally. "The cost of dealing with the consequences would be much higher than providing additional Patriot missiles to defend our south," he said.

Ukraine is deploying two Patriot systems delivered by the US, Germany and the Netherlands to protect key targets in Kiev. One system was damaged in a Russian missile attack early on May 16, but Ukraine claims it is still combat-capable.

President Zelensky met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on July 12, after which he said Berlin agreed to provide additional Patriot air defense systems to Kiev. The specific number of launchers and missiles, as well as the delivery time, have not been announced.

The Patriot is expected to be a weapon that can significantly change the situation in the skies over Ukraine, thanks to its superior combat capabilities compared to the air defense systems that Washington has transferred to Kiev. However, experts warn that the Patriot cannot solve all of Ukraine's air defense problems.

One of the barriers to deploying the Patriot system in Ukraine is the operating cost. A report last year by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said each Patriot battery costs about $1.1 billion, with a single missile costing between $4 million and $8 million depending on the version.

Russia has recently increased the use of missiles and UAVs to attack Ukrainian targets. Western experts believe that this is Russia's attempt to neutralize Ukrainian air defense systems, especially Patriot systems, as well as to deplete the enemy's anti-aircraft ammunition by forcing them to continuously fire expensive missiles to deal with cheap targets.

Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, former commander of the US Army in Europe, said the high cost of interceptor missiles makes it impossible for Ukraine to use Patriots to counter any Russian attacks.

Vu Anh (According to Guardian )

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