Key developments on April 15: * Deploying jets to protect Ukraine would lead to escalation, UK foreign secretary says * Source: Ukrainian forces hit command post in Russian-occupied Crimea * Netherlands, Germany, Canada to send drones to Ukraine * SBU: Ukraine's modernized sea drones can carry 1 ton of explosives over 1,000 kilometers
Deploying Western fighter jets to protect Ukraine from missile strikes, as was done for Israel on April 14, would lead to "dangerous escalation," U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron said on air on April 15.
Key developments on April 13-14: * Syrskyi: Russia set a goal to capture Chasiv Yar by 'Victory Day' on May 9 * Syrskyi: 'Situation on eastern front has significantly deteriorated in recent days' * Germany to send additional Patriot air defense system, missiles to Ukraine * Russia claims 10 Ukrainian drones downed in Krasnodar
Ukraine is in negotiations with Germany to secure an additional IRIS-T air defense system, as well as missiles for existing air defence systems, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during his evening address on April 13.
Berlin will provide Ukraine with one more Patriot air defense system amid intensified Russian attacks, the German Defense Ministry announced on April 13.
"Russian forces have reportedly launched Kh-69 missiles from 400 kilometers away from their targets, exceeding a previous estimated range of 300 kilometers and the 200-kilometer range of the most recent Kh-59MK2 variant."
Ukraine is conducting "active negotiations" with its partners to receive two additional batteries of the Patriot air defense system and one long-range SAMP/T anti-aircraft missile battery, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in an excerpt from an interview aired on April 12.
The Trypillia Thermal Power Plant in Kyiv Oblast can be restored with international help but this will be "futile" without more air defense, Andrii Hota, the chair of Ukraine's state energy company Centerenergo's supervisory board, told Voice of America on April 11.
Polish President Andrzej Duda said he has discussed the transfer of Soviet-made missiles for air defense systems to Ukraine with his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky while meeting in Lithuania at an international summit on April 11.
The European Parliament on April 11 refused discharge of the EU Council's budget until European leaders decide to support Ukraine with additional Patriot air defense systems, MEP Guy Verhofstadt said.
The need to redistribute Ukraine's already thinning air defense systems to protect heavily targeted cities such as Kharkiv may lead to routine Russian attacks on rear logistics and cities in Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in their April 10 report.
Ukraine aims to obtain an additional seven Patriot air defense batteries as soon as possible and has offered countries to loan the systems to Kyiv, Kuleba told the Washington Post (WP) in an interview published on April 10.
General Christopher Cavoli said that Russian forces were firing five shells for every one shell that Ukraine fired, a disparity which he warned could increase to 10 to one in coming weeks.
The State Department has approved an urgent $138 million foreign military sales package for Ukraine, enabling essential repairs and the procurement of spare parts necessary for Hawk missile systems.
As Russia increased its attacks, the shortage of air defense systems in Ukraine became more tangible.
Ukrainian recent attacks increased pressure on Russian air defense systems, leading to Russia likely shooting down its own planes, the U.K. Military Intelligence's report said on April 6.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, in an interview for national television on April 6, called on international partners to provide Ukraine with modern air defense systems to defend against Russian attacks.
Key developments on April 4: * Russian double-tap attack on Kharkiv kills 4, including first responders * SBU: Russian forces used cyberattack to target Ukraine's 128th brigade * German FM says Berlin will initiate search for more air defense for Ukraine * Energoatom: Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant 'on verge of blackout' after recent Russian attack
Berlin will call on allies worldwide to examine their air defense capabilities and "to provide whatever we all can" to Ukraine, Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said after a NATO-Ukraine Council meeting in Brussels on April 4.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held several meetings on April 3 with Ukraine's allies in Brussels, discussing strengthening Ukrainian air defense systems, the minister wrote on X.
Russian forces launched over 400 missiles of various types, 600 Shahed drones, and 3,000 guided aerial bombs, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on April 3.
"Russian forces appear to struggle with properly deploying short-range air defense systems along expected flight vectors for Ukrainian drones, and the Russian military appears to have even failed to cover important potential targets in reportedly well-defended areas within Russia," the ISW said.
Paris will "unlock a new batch of Aster 30 missiles" for the SAMP/T MAMBA system, the French equivalent of the U.S. Patriot, in response to Ukraine's air defense shortage.
Season 2 Episode 12 is dedicated to Ukraine's struggles with air defense, amid intensifying Russian missile attacks.
Ukrainian air defense units destroyed 9 of the 12 Shahed-type drones that Russia launched overnight, the Air Force reported on March 30.
Polish and other allied aircraft were scrambled on March 29 in response to reports of a massive Russian missile attack against Ukraine, the Operational Command of Poland's Armed Forces announced.
Air Force spokesperson Ilia Yevlash's statement came after reports that Russian troops had used Zircon ballistic missiles in a March 25 attack on Kyiv. The researchers continue to examine the debris to determine what type of missile was launched.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged Kyiv's partners to supply Ukraine with more Patriot air defenses to help protect Ukrainian cities in an interview with Politico on March 25.
Editor's note: The article was updated on March 27 with comments from Roman Nitsovych, a research director at DiXi Group. Russia launched a fresh wave of missile and drone attacks against Ukraine between March 21-25, hitting the country's critical infrastructure heavier than ever before. Some 190 missiles, 140 Shahed-type drones,
The Air Force said the drones had been launched from Cape Chauda in Russian-occupied Crimea along with two S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles in the direction of Donetsk Oblast.
Russia launched close to 190 missiles, 140 Shahed drones, and 700 aerial bombs at Ukraine over the last week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on March 24.
The Polish Operational Command of the Armed Forces knew that the missile would circle back to Ukraine and decided not to down the it.
