'This issue concerns us' — Zelensky warns Middle East war could strain Ukraine air defense supplies
The US-Iran war could cause a shortage of missile supplies to Ukraine's air defense if the war is prolonged, Ukraine and experts say.
As the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran, Tehran retaliated by targeting Israel and U.S. military bases. The war has raised concerns in Ukraine about potential impacts on its air defense, which relies heavily on the US-made Patriot system, which is also used by the U. S. in the Middle East.
President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on March 2 that, while he is concerned, for now, he does not see a prospect of a shortage of PAC-3 interceptor supplies.
"Of course, this issue concerns us. So far, there has been no such signal from the Americans or Europeans," Zelensky said.
"Everyone understands that the right weapons are our lifeline."
A shortage of air defense missiles has left some Ukrainian air defense systems empty at times, including in early February, amid the threat of further Russian attacks, Yurii Ihnat, head of the Air Force's communications department, said in a Feb. 2 interview with RBC Ukraine.
According to Zelensky, the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program is still ongoing. Signed by the U.S. and NATO in July of last year, the PURL agreement lays out a mechanism for NATO member states and partners to purchase high-priority equipment for Ukraine.
Zelensky added that a prolonged war and intense combat operations would affect Ukraine's air defense system. "But, of course, we understand that a long war ... and the intensity of the fighting will affect the amount of air defence equipment we receive," he said.
Ivan Kyrychevsky, a soldier in the 413th Regiment "Raid" of the Unmanned Systems Forces and a weapons expert at Defense Express, told the Kyiv Independent that the Middle East conflict could significantly influence Russia's war in Ukraine later on, especially if resources for weapons production grow scarce and logistical routes are disrupted.
"There are too many variables, so it is impossible to discuss potential problems with anti-aircraft missiles. God forbid that we only have problems with anti-aircraft missiles," Kyrychevsky said.
Kyrychevsky added that Ukraine has European backing, and "an option for reinsurance."
Since the Trump administration ended the large-scale funding and delivery of U.S. military aid to Ukraine, Kyiv has had to rely mostly on European support and its own domestic defense industry to stay in the fight on the battlefield.
A month prior to the operation against Iran, the U.S. deployed Patriot air defense missiles and THAAD missile defense systems in the Middle East, the Economist reported on Jan. 26.
