RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainian air defenses depleted by Russian strikes

Kiev’s air defense arsenal has been depleted as the country tries to shoot down increasing barrages of Russian missiles and drones, a Ukrainian Air Force official has acknowledged.

“Intense Russian air attacks force us to use a corresponding amount of air defense means,” Air Force spokesman Yury Ignat said on Tuesday in a Ukrainian television interview. “That’s why we need more of them, as Russia keeps increasing its attack capabilities.”

Moscow’s forces have ramped up airstrikes in the past two weeks, launching hundreds of missiles and drones targeting weapons plants and other targets in Ukrainian cities. A Russian barrage on Monday morning targeted military-industrial facilities in the Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, Khmelnitsky and Zaporozhye regions, and Kiev admitted that its air defenses failed to intercept most of the missiles.  

Ignat said Ukraine is currently reliant on supplies of guided missiles for its Western and Soviet-era air defense systems. Speaking by video on Sunday at a Swedish defense conference, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky warned that Kiev lacks adequate air defenses “on the battlefield and in our cities.”

The air defense shortfall comes at a time when Ukraine’s biggest military supplier, Washington, has run out of money to send more weapons to Kiev. US President Joe Biden’s plan to provide $61.4 billion in additional aid for Ukraine as part of a $106 billion emergency spending bill has stalled in the Congress amid rising opposition from Republican lawmakers. Meanwhile, a €50 billion ($54.6 billion) EU aid package was derailed at least temporarily by a Hungarian veto in December.

Kiev is pinning its hopes for near-term help on NATO’s council of Ukraine backers, which is scheduled to meet on Wednesday in Brussels. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said he hopes the meeting will be followed by “prompt commitments” to help beef up Kiev’s air defenses amid the Russian onslaught.

“First and foremost, we expect the meeting to expedite critical decisions on further strengthening Ukraine's air defense capabilities, both in terms of modern systems and their ammunition,” Kuleba said in a statement. He added that supplying missiles for Ukraine’s Patriot, IRIS-T and NASAMS air defense systems is a “top priority that must be completed today, not tomorrow.”

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

One killed in Ukrainian shelling of Russia's Kursk region, drones hit fuel complex

A woman was killed in Ukrainian shelling of Russia's Kursk region and drones struck a fuel facility in the neighbouring region of Oryol, the two regions' governors said on Tuesday, amid an escalation of cross-border attacks.

In a statement posted on the Telegram messaging app, Kursk region governor Roman Starovoit said a woman had been killed by shelling in the village of Gornal, near the border with Ukraine.

At least five drones were shot down over the Kursk region on Tuesday, Starovoit and Russia's defence ministry said.

The governor of Oryol region, Andrei Klychkov, said two drones had hit a fuel facility, injuring three and causing a fire that was later extinguished. He said three drones had been shot shown.

In a statement posted on Telegram, Klychkov called the events "an enemy attack".

Later the governor of the nearby Bryansk region, Alexander Bogomaz, and the defence ministry reported the destruction of another drone, without providing any details.

Russian border regions have repeatedly come under fire from Ukraine in recent months. On Dec. 30, at least 20 people were killed in a missile strike on the city of Belgorod, 40 km (25 miles) from Ukraine, Russian media said.

Russia has also recently fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Ukrainian cities, including some far behind the frontline, Ukrainian officials have said.

In the latest strike this week, Russia fired 51 missiles of various types, killing at least four people and hitting civilian infrastructure, they said.

RT/Reuters