Kiev claims EU not ready to conflict with Russia yet
Date
11/25/2024 7:35:52 AM
(MENAFN) Ukraine’s Ambassador to London, Valery Zaluzhny, warned that Western nations are not adequately prepared for a prolonged military confrontation with Russia. He expressed concerns that the air defense missile stocks of European countries, including the UK, are insufficient for a high-intensity, prolonged conflict. In an interview with Ukrainskaya Pravda, Zaluzhny questioned whether European nations possess enough missiles, particularly for systems like the Patriot, to intercept the large number of Russian missiles and drones targeting Ukraine. He argued that while short-term military operations might be manageable, Western nations are not ready for a war of attrition, where the demands on air defense would be far greater.
Zaluzhny emphasized that air defense systems would be required to handle an overwhelming number of targets in a long-term conflict. However, interceptor missile stocks are limited, and the production of new ones is both expensive and complex. He highlighted that each PAC-3 missile used in US-made Patriot systems costs around $4 million, making the cost of maintaining such defenses in a prolonged conflict unsustainable. These comments come as Russia has escalated its strikes on Ukrainian military-industrial and energy infrastructure, using advanced weapons such as the new Oreshnik hypersonic missile, which Moscow claims cannot be intercepted by any current or planned Western air defense systems.
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