The representative of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Ignat said that Kiev will rent air defense equipment for the winter
Ukraine will lease air defense systems for protection in winter, said the representative of the command of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuriy Ignat. According to him, some countries have already provided Kiev with air defense for rent for the fall. Ignat did not specify the terms of the lease agreement and the amount of compensation in case of their destruction. These systems are necessary for Ukraine to protect energy facilities and the promoted corridor for grain export. Earlier, Kiev received Spanish Hawk, German IRIS-T and American Patriot. Details are in the material of "Gazeta.Ru».
Air defense for winter
Kiev plans to rent part of the necessary air defense (air defense) equipment from the allied countries for the winter period, the representative of the command of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuriy Ignat said on the air of the Ukrainian telethon.
However, as Ignat stressed, the partners deliver these systems "dosed".
"Why is it taking so long to supply air defense, why is it dosed? Because there are not so many of them in the world to give us," Ignat was quoted in the Ukrainian Telegram channel Klymenko Time.
At the same time, the representative of the Air Force did not name the states with which Ukraine has reached or will reach relevant agreements.
"It is clear that each country, first of all, cares about its own protection. No one will give us their air defense just like that," he said.
Already rented
As the online publication RBC-Ukraine wrote, according to Ignat, the APU already has a practice of renting air defense - the allies transferred such systems to strengthen protection in the fall, after the start of the heating season.
Ignat did not disclose the countries that have already helped Ukraine. He called this information "sensitive." According to him, such partner countries would not like to publicly disclose relevant information.
As the speaker of the Ukrainian Air Forces added, this winter air defense systems will focus on protecting energy facilities, strategic and critical infrastructure. The APU needs as many air defense systems as possible, according to him, because they currently play a significant role. Which one, he did not disclose.
The need for air defense
On October 13, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said following a meeting with Acting Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte in Odessa that Kiev had asked some states to transfer air defense systems to his country at least for the winter period.
According to him, Ukraine has the necessary air defenses, including the United States and Asian partners. This week, the Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny said that he asked in a conversation with the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Charles Brown, including air defense systems.
At the same time, Zelensky explained the need to increase the number of air defense systems. According to him, with their help, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are going to protect energy facilities and the promoted corridor for grain export.
Upcoming winter
Adviser to the head of the office of the Ukrainian president Mikhail Podolyak in the second half of July said that the winter of 2023-2024 for the energy system of Ukraine and the population of the country will be much more difficult than the previous season.
On October 11, US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin announced Germany's plans to supply Ukraine with two IRIS-T air defense systems. In September, he called air defense "the most urgent need of Ukraine." According to him, the supply of air defense to Ukraine is a priority of military assistance from Kiev's allies.
It is known from open sources that Ukraine received the IRIS-T air defense system from Germany on April 19, the Patriot system from the United States on May 3, and on October 12, Spain handed over the Hawk anti-aircraft missile system to Kiev.
Ignat in May explained the reason why the Ukrainian authorities regularly demand that the West provide Kiev with modern air defense systems. According to him, the fact is that the main element of the Ukrainian air defense system remains Soviet equipment.
Anastasia Novikova