Today at 21:03
At this stage of the war, the Ukrainian Defense Forces can qualitatively change the situation at the front. But there is no universal remedy for this. Different types of weapons are needed, in combination. First of all, aviation, long-range missiles, cluster munitions. This opinion was voiced on the FREEDOM TV channel by military analyst, former employee of the Security Service of Ukraine Ivan Stupak.
“There is no such thing, relatively speaking, as a magic wand that just appeared and will scatter the Russian troops. We need, first of all, aviation. And long-range missiles, which we should most likely buy. Because what we can get for free has a very limited range and, quite possibly, will not play a decisive role at the front,” the analyst said.
For example, for the same F-16 there are missiles that cost about 15 thousand dollars. And Ukraine can get them. But there are missiles that cost about $1 million, but they have a much larger damage radius, Stupak noted.
“There is an AIM-120 missile that costs $1 million or under $2 million each. But the range there is such that it is possible to destroy aircraft located hundreds of kilometers away. For example, a plane over Zaporizhzhia could shoot at a Russian plane, which is located far beyond Luhansk, closer to the Russian border. Or, for example, get on a Russian plane that is located above Dzhankoy or behind it. That is, this is a serious weapon that can significantly affect the situation,” the expert explained.
The Ukrainian military also needs ATACMS missiles and cluster munitions, Stupak continued.
“There is no talk yet about the ATACMS range of 300 kilometers. What the United States handed over is so far more than enough to cover about 85% of the occupied territory of Ukraine. Therefore, 300 km, I think, is not necessary yet. Cluster munitions are also needed, missiles with a range of 160 km and simply ammunition with a range of 160 km – it would be very cool,” the analyst concluded.
Earlier, the US Department of Defense announced an additional assistance package for Ukraine in the field of security and defense. It includes $125 million for immediate battlefield needs, as well as $300 million to strengthen long-term air defense.
