Ukraine turns to US for new air defense systems or Patriot modernization after russian missile strike — media
After the russian occupation army's strike on the Dnipro, during which it used a new ballistic missile, Ukraine began negotiations on obtaining a more advanced air defense system or modernization of the existing MIM-104 Patriot air defense systems.
Interfax-Ukraine and Ukrinform wrote about this with reference to their own sources in the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to Ukrinform, Ukraine is negotiating with the U.S. about the possibility of obtaining air defense systems capable of shooting down russian intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The agency's interlocutor said that the Ukrainian military does not have any means capable of shooting down missiles of this type.
"But the Americans have them. Ukraine will turn to the U.S. for the transfer of such weapons," the agency's interlocutor said.
This is the Aegis missile defense system, which is designed to protect against short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
According to open sources, as of 2016, the Aegis missile defense complexes are capable of hitting targets at transatmospheric altitudes.
The Interfax-Ukraine writes, citing its sources, that Ukraine is working on obtaining American THAAD missile defense systems.
Kyiv is also discussing with Washington the possibility of modernizing the Patriot air defense system.
The source added that the purpose of launching the experimental missile is to intimidate Ukrainians.
THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) is a mobile ground-based missile defense complex designed for the transatmospheric interception of intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
The cost of one THAAD complex, excluding the radar station, is estimated at USD 2.3 to 3 billion.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, on the morning of November 21, the russian occupiers struck Dnipro with an intercontinental ballistic missile.
On the evening of November 21, russian dictator vladimir putin, in an address to the russians, stated that Dnipro was struck by an intermediate-range ballistic missile called Oreshnik.
Today, November 22, the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine stated that the russians struck the city of Dnipro with the help of the Kedr missile complex.