Ukraine receives top-notch air defence systems from US
The National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), which Ukraine had long requested and whose shipment had been authorised by Washington late last month, was finally acknowledged for the first time.
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In an interview that was aired on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Ukraine has acquired powerful air defence systems from the US.
The National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), which Ukraine had long requested and whose shipment had been authorised by Washington late last month, was finally acknowledged for the first time.
“We absolutely need the United States to show leadership and give Ukraine the air defence systems. I want to thank President (Joe) Biden for a positive decision that has been already made,” Zelensky said, according to an English-language transcript of the interview.
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“But believe me, it’s not even nearly enough to cover the civilian infrastructure, schools, hospitals, universities, homes of Ukrainians.”
The Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA) and Raytheon-developed NASAMS (National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System) is a distributed and networked short- to medium-range: 4 ground-based air defence system.
The system defends against aircraft, cruise missiles, helicopters and drones. NASAMS has a detection capability of 120km and its missiles have a range of 30km-50km.
In addition, Zelensky expressed gratitude to the US for providing HIMARS and other multiple rocket-launching systems that allowed Ukraine to advance against the Russian occupiers.
This month, Ukraine has launched counteroffensives to liberate huge tracts of land from occupation in the northeastern Kharkiv region. Additionally, it has advanced in the south.
