It will be enough for the Ukrainian Air Force to have 25 Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems, or similar air defense systems, to completely cover the sky over Ukraine.
This statement was made by President Vladimir Zelensky in an interview with the military man, presenter and journalist of the Vikna-noviny program Orest Drimalovsky, as well as Lyudmila Dobrovolskaya, journalist of the We — Ukraine.
Close the sky over Ukraine: how many Patriots do you need
— I won't tell you how many Patriot systems we have. I can say that in order to close Ukraine completely, for the future, it is advisable for Ukraine to have 25 Patriot systems with 6-8 batteries in each, — Zelensky said.
According to him, the number of air defense systems needed for Ukraine is no longer a secret, since all partner countries know about this need for Ukraine. The head of state added that Western leaders even know the points where the corresponding systems could stand and function.
Now they are watching
The President emphasized that, in addition to the Patriot air defense system, in the issue of air safety, similar systems that exist in the world and “also work very well”.
— Yes, it looks like a large number, but the territory of Ukraine is very large. Therefore, in order to completely close our state, even the same regions where it does not fly or almost does not fly, if this is the question, to completely cover our state, in today’s air defense structure of Ukraine with all those other systems that we have, we need 25 Patriot systems, — he said.
Recall that in the past, President Zelensky said that the United States has not yet transferred its Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. Although then the head of state indicated that in order to close the sky for Ukraine, 5-7 such systems from the United States are needed.
