Firefighters extinguish a fire at a warehouse in Kiev during a Russian missile attack on December 29, 2023 (Photo: Reuters).
"The heavy Russian airstrikes forced us to use the corresponding number of air defense systems. That is why we need more air defense systems, as Russia is constantly increasing its offensive capabilities," Ukrainian air force spokesman Yury Ignat said in an interview with Ukrainian television on January 9.
Russian forces have stepped up airstrikes over the past two weeks, launching hundreds of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at targets across Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that it had used long-range precision weapons and drones to attack Ukraine’s defense industry infrastructure in recent days. The attacks were also aimed at destroying missile and ammunition depots, including weapons provided by the West to Ukraine.
On the morning of January 8, a Russian attack was carried out on military-industrial facilities in the Kharkiv, Dnepropetrovsk, Khmelnitsky and Zaporizhia regions. Ukraine admitted that its air defense systems failed to intercept most of the Russian missiles.
Earlier, the Russian attack on December 29 was described by Ukrainian officials as the largest airstrike since the conflict broke out, when 158 missiles and UAVs were launched, killing at least 39 people.
On January 2, Russia continued to launch a new attack with more than 130 missiles, including 10 "super" Kinzhal missiles and UAVs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that since December 29, Russia has launched about 500 missiles and drones into Ukraine.
A spokesman for the Ukrainian air force admitted that Kiev is dependent on supplies of guided missiles for its Soviet-era air defense systems as well as systems supplied by the West.
Speaking via video at a Swedish defense conference on January 7, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Kiev was lacking air defense systems "on the battlefield and in Ukrainian cities."
President Zelensky has admitted that the West has lost the urgency to support Ukraine, leaving Kiev forces vulnerable as Russia launches new air and ground operations.
Ukraine's shortage of air defense systems comes at a time when the United States, Ukraine's largest military aid donor, 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 to Ukraine in a $106 billion emergency spending bill has stalled in Congress, amid growing opposition from Republicans to providing aid to Kiev.
Meanwhile, the European Union's (EU) 50 billion euro ($54.6 billion) aid package has also not been approved due to Hungary's veto last December.
Kiev is pinning its hopes on short-term help from a group of pro-Ukrainian NATO countries meeting in Brussels this week. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said he hoped the meeting would be followed by “quick commitments” to help bolster Kiev’s air defenses amid intense Russian attacks.
“First of all, we expect the meeting to accelerate important decisions to further strengthen Ukraine's air defense capabilities, including modern systems and ammunition for these systems,” Kuleba said.
Foreign Minister Kuleba added that the supply of missiles for Ukraine's Patriot, IRIS-T and NASAMS air defense systems is a "top priority that must be completed today, not tomorrow."
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