The US is one of Ukraine’s leading military aid supporters, providing the NASAMS and significant other equipment worth billions of dollars since the onset of the Russian invasion. This includes but is not limited to artillery such as M777 howitzers and M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems; armored vehicles; anti-tank weapons, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, and Switchblade drones; a variety of ammunitions; and other supplies (i.e., medical supplies, communication equipment, etc.). Washington is also in the process of sending 31 modified M1 Abrams, which will include troop operation training.
Bolstering Air Defense ASAP
The arrival of additional NASAMS systems sooner than later will further strengthen Ukraine’s aerial defense against Russia, especially with the latter’s increasing aggressiveness.
Russian forces unleashed possibly one of the worst drone assaults on Kyiv this weekend, bombarding the capital city with a series of deadly air strikes overnight. Media reports dubbed this the largest unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attack since the war broke out in February 2022. Moreover, the drone assault came at pre-dawn as Ukrainians prepared to commemorate its founding anniversary on Sunday, May 28.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force (UAF), they managed to strike down 52 drones out of the 54 UAVs Russian forces launched, identifying these devices as Iranian-made Kamikaze Shahid drones. It is notable, though, that this information has yet to be independently verified.
Kiev this night experienced the most massive drone attack since the start of the war. Our Sky Defenders shot down 52 out of 54 attack drones. Due to the falling debris, there are casualties and destruction in different parts of Kyiv. Thanks to G-d and the air defense of Ukraine! pic.twitter.com/qIcOWTYPeY
— Chief Rabbi Of Ukraine Moshe Azman (@RabbiUkraine) May 28, 2023
In his Telegram channel, Andriy Yermak, the head of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office, brought up how Russia has long been an “irritant” to Ukraine’s founding history. Meanwhile, on a separate Telegram post, the UAF reportedly said that the drone assault has targeted military and critical infrastructures, particularly in Kyiv.
“The attack was carried out in several waves, and the air alert lasted more than five hours,” Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, said. He also noted how the assault served as a “congratulatory” gesture to the people of Kyiv during the capital city’s day.
—
Check out Ukraine and Russia: From Civilized Divorce to Uncivil War, where author Paul D’Anieri explores the complex relationship dynamics between the two neighbors, as well as Russia’s outlook on getting in touch with the West, which all began drifting with the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Grab a copy here today!
COMMENTS