Russian troops have used more than 5,000 missiles and over 1,000 drones to attack Ukraine since the beginning of its all-out war against the country, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 10.
"Why did Russia come to our land? Did it have even a fair reason to start this war? There was none. This is an obvious war of tyranny against freedom," Zelensky told the American Enterprise Institute World Forum participants, as quoted by Ukrinform news outlet.
Russia launched the largest Russian missile attack in months in the early morning hours of March 9, killing at least six people and injuring at least seven.
Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, commander of Ukraine's Air Force, said on Feb. 26 during an interview with ArmyInform that Ukraine's Air Force had received NASAMS, Iris-T, and Crotale air defense systems, as well as anti-aircraft self-propelled Gepards from Ukraine's Western partners and was waiting to receive Patriot and Aster 30 Mamba air defense missiles systems.
According to Oleshchuk, however, these systems are not enough to defend Ukraine from Russia's missile and drone attacks.
"We need more technological modern weapons that will help to quickly restore order in the sky and free it from the presence of aerial terrorists. Our allies know what Ukraine specifically needs, in particular the Air Force. These are modern multi-purpose aircraft and medium and long-range anti-aircraft missile systems." Oleschuk said.
Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov also emphasized at a meeting with EU defense ministers in Stockholm that air defense is currently one of the main priorities for Ukraine.
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