Ukraine builds layered air defences as Russia ramps up strikes
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[June 20, 2023]
By Tom Balmforth
NEAR KYIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - At a glance on a clear summer's
afternoon, the U.S.-made Avenger air defence system is barely visible in
the shadow of trees at the end of a dirt track outside Kyiv.
The short-range unit is an important part of a three-layered air defence
network that Ukraine is trying to develop with a range of highly
sophisticated Western systems to thwart Russian air attacks.
Russia has unleashed regular long-distance missile and drone attacks
since October, but it seriously increased strikes in May as Ukraine
prepared for a counteroffensive this month.
The strikes, which regularly kill civilians, look at least in part aimed
at depleting air defence stocks so that fewer systems can be used to
protect troops trying to advance under Russian air superiority, Kyiv
officials say.
"The most difficult is an attack by various types of aerial targets,"
said the Avenger unit's commander who goes by the call sign "Architect",
his pre-war profession.
"When they arrive in one night, both (drones) and cruise missiles fly
by, that's the most difficult."
He leads a six-man team that took up positions two weeks ago after being
trained by U.S. military instructors in Europe. They are yet to shoot
down any missiles or drones.
They join an unfolding air battle that has played out over several weeks
during which Ukraine has reported an extraordinary rate of downed drones
and missiles, including hypersonic ones.
On Friday, Ukraine said it shot down all six cruise missiles and six
hypersonic Kinzhal missiles fired at targets in and around the capital.
But strikes still regularly slip past defences. Last Wednesday, three
civilians were killed in a missile attack in Odesa. The day before 11
were killed in a strike on President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's hometown.
'RACE AGAINST TIME'
Though it has dropped out of headlines as Kyiv has pressed for F-16
fighter jets from the West, Ukraine is still regularly asking for - and
receiving - air defence missiles to replenish stocks, said Yuriy Sak,
adviser to Ukraine's defence minister.
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Ukrainian serviceman prepares an
AN/TWQ-1 Avenger mobile air defence missile system for work during
his combat shift, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, outside of Kyiv,
Ukraine June 16, 2023. REUTERS/Anna Voitenko
"Russia's tactic is using cheap drones in order to exhaust our air
defences. It's almost like a race against time. Who's going to run
out first? The Russians with their missiles or the ones we get from
our allies?" he said.
Washington has supplied at least 12 Avenger systems to Ukraine. The
Avenger is a rotating turret with eight missiles mounted on the back
of a Humvee, which makes it highly mobile.
"One of our top priorities, when it comes to transforming our armed
forces and building up our air defence capability is creating a
three-layered air defence system," said Sak.
The Avenger, like hand-held Stinger missiles, are at the short-range
end of the three layers. U.S.-made Patriot systems are at the
long-range end. Avengers have a range of up to 5 km. Patriots have a
3 km minimum range and a maximum of 80 km.
There is greater mobility at the short end to counter targets and it
is also much cheaper than firing expensive salvos of Patriot
missiles, Sak said.
The Avenger is effective near the battefield, but there are too few
of the systems to go around, he added.
In a bid to build up short-end capabilities, Ukraine is pressing
Australia to supply four-wheel-drive Hawkei vehicles that can be
mounted with air defences and used in the same way as Avengers, Sak
said.
In the month of May alone, the Air Force reported shooting down 149
cruise missiles, 399 drones, seven hypersonic Kinzhal missiles,
three ballistic missiles as well as 11 Iskander missiles of two
different types.
By contrast in April, the Air Force said it had shot down 73 drones
and 21 cruise missiles.
The unit commander near Kyiv said he was constantly aware of his
responsibility to do his best to protect the roughly 3.5 million
people living in Kyiv, and that they were on duty round the clock
ready to respond.
(Reporting by Tom Balmforth and Sergiy Karazy; editing by Angus
MacSwan)
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