Khmara: Ukraine strikes 12 ballistic missile launchers in Russia

Ukraine’s defense minister called the strikes an asymmetric response to ballistic attacks and again said the country urgently needs interceptor missiles. The possible transfer of Patriot missiles from partners’ stockpiles was discussed with the Netherlands.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara said Ukrainian forces had struck 12 ballistic missile launchers on Russian territory. He made the statement during a telephone call with Dutch Defense Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said.

“We are acting asymmetrically. We have already struck 12 launchers on Russian territory. This is one of our ways of countering the enemy’s ballistic attacks,” the ministry quoted the minister as saying. Khmara said the Defense Forces were also striking Russian enterprises producing components for weapons, and that Russia’s production capacity in this area was already declining.

The minister did not specify when the launchers were struck. The claims have not been independently verified.

Министр обороны Украины Евгений Хмара

Patriot missiles in exchange for future deliveries

Khmara stressed that Ukraine’s need for interceptor missiles remained critical. The ministers discussed the possibility of transferring Patriot missiles to Kyiv from partners’ stockpiles in exchange for future deliveries that had already been contracted. They also discussed technical maintenance for Ukraine’s F-16s, with the minister noting the Netherlands’ leading role in the aviation coalition.

The previous day, Khmara spoke by phone with Norwegian Defense Minister Ture Sandvik. They discussed accelerating deliveries of air-defense missiles, 20-millimeter ammunition for F-16s, which the Ukrainian ministry says is effective against jet-powered drones, as well as integrating additional missiles into NASAMS systems.

Пуск ракеты зенитного ракетного комплекса Patriot

Betting on low-cost air defense

Speaking at the Atlantic Future Forum on Friday, Khmara called combat aircraft and surface-to-air missiles the most effective means of countering jet-powered drones and cruise missiles. At the same time, he said, Ukraine was expanding the use of lower-cost systems, including anti-aircraft artillery modules, interceptor drones and electronic warfare systems.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, from November 1 to 10, Ukrainian air defenses neutralized 1,406 of 1,695 jet-powered attack drones, or about 83%, and 1,662 of 1,824 Shahed-type drones, or about 91%. These figures also have not been independently verified.

Photo: Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, Wikimedia Commons

Khmara: Ukraine strikes 12 ballistic missile launchers in Russia