Residents in eastern Ukraine are facing a relentless barrage of drones from Russia, overwhelming their air defenses. The recent response by Western allies to Iran’s aerial assault on Israel has drawn uncomfortable parallels for them.
The United States, Britain, France, and other countries have come to Israel’s aid against over 300 Iranian drones and missiles, most of which were intercepted. Ukraine faces a similar number of aerial attacks weekly, with many drones designed by Iran and now produced by Russia.
Since the beginning of the year, Russia has launched 1,000 missiles, 2,800 drones, and 7,000 guided bombs at Ukraine, according to Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine’s representative to the United Nations. While Kyiv has received air defense weapons from allies, they have not directly confronted Russian forces, leaving Ukrainian officials feeling vulnerable.
In Kharkiv, a city with 1.3 million residents living under nightly air raid alarms, there is frustration that Ukraine does not receive the same level of protection as Israel due to concerns about provoking Russia.
Amil Nasirov, a 29-year-old singer, expressed disappointment, saying, “When rockets hit Israel, the world pays attention. Here, rockets are flying, and we lack the same support.” He criticized the perceived hypocrisy and devaluation of Ukrainian lives.
Ukraine has been requesting more tools to defend against Russian missiles since the invasion began in February 2022. However, the arrival of Patriot missile systems from the US and Germany, the only proven defense against ballistic missiles, was delayed until spring 2023.
The Biden administration initially resisted providing F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, fearing escalation with Russia. Eventually, the jets were approved, but Ukrainian pilots are still undergoing training and won’t be operational until summer.
Ukrainian officials emphasized the importance of fighter jets in air defense, citing their role in Israel’s defense against Iranian attacks.
President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the global capability to counter missile threats, including Shahed drones, following the response to the Iranian attack. He emphasized that Israel was not alone in its defense.
2024-04-16 05:37:23
Article from www.nytimes.com