What does Ukraine need to protect Kharkiv? The Ukrainian Air Force has some answers
The most effective way to protect Kharkiv from Russia's devastating daily strikes is to "scare them away" from the frontline by destroying their missile launchers, said Air Force spokesperson, Illya Yevlash, on national TV on May 24.
S-300 air defense missile systems are difficult to intercept due to their high speed and proximity, as well as the complexity of the system itself, Yevlesh said.
“Therefore, the best, yet impossible, way out would be to pull Kharkiv away from the border," he said.
"The only other effective method is to destroy the launchers themselves and scare them away from the front; to pull them away, to increase the distance from the frontline to Kharkiv. This is the more strategic task that our military leadership is dealing with."
More than two Patriot air defense systems are needed to protect Kharkiv, including systems to protect the Patriot complexes and those to counter drones and smaller missiles, he added, referencing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statement about the need for two Patriot systems to protect Kharkiv and Kharkiv Oblast.
“If we take ballistic missiles, Patriot is very effective in downing them," added Yevlash.
"So of course, the Patriot is a powerful weapon. However, the use of such weapons near Kharkiv requires special knowledge, skills, and abilities, because there are dozens of drones constantly flying over the territory of Kharkiv Oblast," he said.
"Therefore, this is a very difficult task."
Kharkiv suffers from almost daily missile and bomb attacks by the Russian army.
Russia launched a series of massive strikes on Kharkiv, Zolochiv, and Liubotyn in Kharkiv Oblast on May 23.
Seven people were killed in Kharkiv as a result of the strike.
A serious fire also broke out after the Vivat printing house was hit.
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