What does Ukraine need to stop Vladamir Putin and his bloodthirsty generals from massacring
the Ukrainian people? The short answer is more firepower, but there is a more strategic approach
that leaders of the country have in mind. Given a handful of several specific weapons, Ukraine
will be able to hold the Russian war machine at bay, which would deal a massive blow to Putin.
Priority number one for Ukraine is to secure more air defense systems. Throughout the war,
and especially in recent weeks, Russia has been launching missiles, air raids, and drones to
disrupt Ukrainian infrastructure. The horrible part is that these threats from the sky are
causing civilian casualties in many regions around the country. From the beginning of this war,
the Russian military made it clear that they did not care how many Ukrainian citizens died as they
advanced across their lands. All that mattered was that Russia captured Ukraine at all costs,
and they couldn’t even do that. Artillery, missiles, and kamikaze drones have all taken the
lives of innocent civilians, and this pattern doesn’t seem likely to stop any time soon.
The key weapon that Ukraine needs right now to prepare for the harsh winter ahead and the
next phase of the war is surface-to-air defense missiles. For most of the war,
Ukrainian forces have been able to hold strategic locations and deal massive amounts of damage to
the Russian military. In the last few months, Russian forces have pulled back from the front
lines to regroup and come up with new strategies as to how to defeat the Ukrainian military.
Russia's new plan of attack now seems to be to hit their targets from afar. It‘s
probable that Russian military leaders have been harshly reprimanded by Putin
and his inner circle for the loss of men and the inability of their troops to take key strategic
positions. This embarrassment has led to many top military officials being replaced. Russia's
current strategy is focused on air-based attacks, such as missile and drone strikes,
to disrupt everyday life in Ukraine even more than this conflict has already been done.
Knowing this, Ukrainian officials are pleading with NATO to send them more
air defense weapons. Currently, the Ukrainian government is planning to receive two National
Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems made by Raytheon, a multinational aerospace and defense
conglomerate with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. It’s likely these NASAMS will be
deployed in major cities such as Kyiv to protect them from Russian air attacks.
The NASAMS are capable of tracking, targeting, and destroying drones,
missiles, and helicopters. This is exactly what Ukraine needs, as missiles and drones
are the biggest threat they face in the next stage of the war. The NASAMS use short to
mid-range missiles to destroy enemy threats in the surrounding area. What this means is that
these weapons are purely for defensive purposes and cannot be used by Ukraine to launch an attack
against Russia. As the next stage of the war continues in the coming months, Ukraine is
focused on protecting its major cities and the civilians living in them from Russian threats.
But having two NASAMS is not nearly enough to combat the onslaught of missiles and drones that
Russia will be firing over the course of the coming winter. This is why Ukraine is asking
for more surface-to-air weapons to help them protect their citizens and military assets.
It would be one thing if Russia was only targeting Ukrainian military installations, but they’re not.
Missiles and drones are being used to disrupt the Ukrainian power grid and energy infrastructure.
This obviously hurts their army, but it‘s also leading to more suffering among the
general population, which results in more civilian casualties. Rouge missiles end up
demolishing buildings, and without power during the winter, entire families could freeze to
death. Ukraine doesn’t need surface-to-air just to win the war; they need them to save lives.
As an alternative to the Raytheon National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System,
Ukraine is taking an old-school approach to dealing with Russian air attacks. Since the
beginning of the war, Ukraine has been using the S-300 missile system. The S-300 is a Soviet Era
long-range surface-to-air missile system that was designed to protect military installations
from enemy aircraft. Unfortunately, there are a few problems with the S-300.
The first is that it is from the Soviet Era, meaning it’s outdated, and finding replacement
parts is incredibly hard. In fact, some members of NATO have been trying to find spare parts or
fabricate the most needed pieces of the S-300 system to help Ukraine keep them working. Also,
since they were designed and built decades ago, the S-300s are not the most accurate or effective
weapons. And even though they are better than nothing, it’s only a matter of time before Ukraine
will need a better option for protecting its skies from incoming Russian threats.
The second problem with the S-300 system is that it’s mainly only effective against aircraft
and helicopters. Russia is definitely using aircraft to bomb and attack Ukrainian forces,
but they are not the main threat that Ukraine will face in the coming months. Russia will likely be
dialing back everything except for missile and drone strikes until they feel that their
forces can push forward and actually be somewhat successful in a fight against the Ukrainian army.
The S-300 is not as effective against missiles or drones as they are against much larger targets.
Therefore, even if Ukraine gets the parts they need to maintain these Soviet Era ground to
air systems, it won’t make a huge difference in the coming months. This is why Ukraine has made
it clear that what they need right now are more advanced surface-to-air systems. The only problem
is that these weapons are in short supply, and no one is willing to give them up at the moment.
Ukrainian military officials have been asking for Patriot Missile Defense Systems for months.
The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile system that has the capability
of shooting down everything from planes to missiles. It’s also made by Raytheon
but has a much more sophisticated radar and tracking system than the National
Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile. What this means is that the MIM-104 Patriot
is more effective and versatile, which is exactly what Ukraine is looking for.
The MIM-104 Patriot has proven to be a deadly air defense system in the Persian Gulf War,
where it intercepted and destroyed no less than 40 Iraqi Scud missiles. It has also successfully
shot down aircraft and UAVs while being used by the Israeli military. Basically, there is
no weapon that Ukraine needs more right now than the MIM-104 Patriot. They know that the next phase
of the war will be focused on disrupting their infrastructure and demoralizing their citizens
through airstrikes. The Patriot system would offer protection for both civilians and military assets.
The reason that these weapons aren’t being sent to Ukraine is that there are just not
that many Patriot air defense systems currently available. In fact, these systems are the most
deployed units in the U.S. Army. Many of these weapons are being used as protective
countermeasures in other parts of the world or are just too valuable for any nation to give up,
which is why Ukraine can’t seem to get their hands on one even though they desperately need them.
The most horrifying aspect of the Russian air attacks comes from kamikaze drones. Currently,
Russia is using the Shahed-136 UAVs made by an Iranian company
named Shahed Aviation Industries. These drones are built to be flown directly into
targets and detonate on impact. This should allow for precise targeting,
but even still, these kamikaze drones have led to dozens of civilian deaths.
The Shahed-136 operates by launching multiple drones from a rack all at once to overwhelm
air defenses. This is precisely why Ukraine needs an advanced air defense system like
the MIM-104 Patriot. Ukrainian leaders have made it very clear that these kamikaze drones
continue to be a threat that they cannot deal with using their current anti-air technology.
And until they can figure out a way to stop Russian drones and missiles from impacting
power stations and infrastructure within towns and cities, civilians will continue to suffer.
To effectively fight Russia in the next phase of the war, Ukraine needs air defense systems,
but that’s not all. Air defenses will definitely play a major role in the coming months,
but if Ukraine is going to keep Russia from pushing further into their country,
they also need more artillery and tanks.
Since Russian troops fell back to territory that they already control in the Donbas
region of Ukraine, there has been a lull in ground incursions for the time being. Russia
needed to regroup and replenish its losses before beginning a new offensive. However,
there is no way that Putin is going to give up his sadistic dream of incorporating Ukraine
into a new Russian Empire, which means that ground-based fighting will resume eventually.
Ukrainian officials know this, which is why they are also asking for more
artillery and ammunition from NATO. The amount of artillery shells fired in the
war in Ukraine is staggering. NATO reports that its forces would fire
around 300 artillery rounds a day during intense fighting in Afghanistan. Ukraine
is firing thousands of rounds every single day. Think about how crazy that is. Unfortunately,
the sheer magnitude of artillery shells being used means that Ukraine is quickly running out.
When the fighting in the Donbas region of Ukraine was at its height, Ukraine was firing somewhere
between six and seven thousand artillery rounds a day. To be fair, Russia was firing somewhere
around 40 to 50 thousand rounds daily, which is on a whole other level. What this means
for Ukraine is that it constantly needs more artillery shells. Unfortunately, no country in
the world is producing enough artillery rounds to keep up with how many are being used in the war.
NATO has seriously considered purchasing old factories in the Czech Republic, Slovakia,
and Bulgaria to ramp up the production of artillery rounds so that they can send them
to Ukraine. Like with their air defense systems, the Ukrainian artillery mostly consists of Soviet
Era cannons. This means that the factories in countries which were once a part of the Soviet
Union are perfect for meeting Ukraine's needs. However, getting these facilities back up and
running would take a lot of time and money, which has led many to dismiss this option.
The fact remains that Ukraine will need more artillery rounds in the future. Although,
if they had it their way, they would ask for something that packs a little more punch.
Along with more artillery, Ukraine also needs more tanks. Again, it seems like
the strategy right now for Russia is to hang back and fire missiles and drones at Ukrainian forces,
but this will not last forever. Eventually, Russia will once again try to capture the
rest of Ukraine, and the key to stopping them could be tanks and armored vehicles.
For this next phase of the war, Ukraine is hoping to get their hands on German
Leopard tanks or some of the 3,000 M1 Abrams tanks that the United States has
in reserve storage. Either one of these tanks would be able to decimate Russian
armored divisions as they are far superior to anything the Russians have in large numbers.
But it’s not just tanks that Ukrainian forces need; they also require more vehicles to allow for
armored mobility. We already know how successful Ukrainian troops have been at repelling and
pushing back Russian tanks. Even without having battalions of their own tanks, Ukraine has managed
to destroy over 700 Russian tanks forcing them to bring 50-year-old T-62s out of storage. This
is not only embarrassing for Russia, but it also shows just how resilient Ukrainian troops are.
Now imagine if they had armored transports like the Bradly Fighting Vehicle to rapidly
move soldiers from one location to another while also having state-of-the-art tanks to
provide supporting fire. It is this scenario that Ukrainian military leaders are hoping to achieve.
They firmly believe that if NATO provides their forces with tanks and armored vehicles,
the next stage of the war won’t be a Russian advance but a Ukrainian one. Suppose Ukraine
is given the right equipment to allow its troops to be protected while also being
highly mobile. In that case, some military officials think that their forces could push
the Russian military out of occupied regions of the country and even secure the border.
To be fair, even without the weapons and aid they’ve been asking for for months, Ukraine has
still managed to force a Russian retreat. Imagine what they could do if they were properly armed and
had the vehicles and defense systems to level the playing field. It may seem unbelievable, but with
the way Ukraine has embarrassed the Russian army time and time again, it’s not out of the realm of
possibility that with a little help from the rest of the world, they could take back their country.
Ukraine has a long wishlist of weapons that would help them defeat the Russians,
but they have made it clear that air defense systems, artillery ammunition,
and tanks, along with armored vehicles, are key to fighting the next stage of the war. However,
given the option, there are a few other weapons that Ukraine would be happy to get their hands on.
The Ukraine military has asked for long-range surface-to-surface missiles called MGM-140
Army Tactical Missile Systems or ATACMS. NATO is hesitant to deliver these types of
missiles because it would allow Ukraine to hit targets within Russia. You might think
all is fair in war and that Ukraine should have the option to strike at the heart of its enemy,
but even the most staunch supporters of Ukraine are hesitant to give them this capability.
The reason why has to do with retaliation by Russia. If Ukraine starts targeting
locations within Russia, NATO is afraid it will escalate the war
to a new level. These long-range attacks could lead Russia to do something drastic,
like use nuclear weapons. If this were to happen, it could lead to a global catastrophe.
Ukraine also has asked for fighter jets such as the United States F-16 or Sweden’s Saab Gripen to
combat Russia's current air superiority. Both of these aircraft are incredibly expensive,
and neither country is willing to supply the Ukrainian Air Force with them just yet.
NATO has made countless excuses as to why they haven’t delivered Ukraine the weapons they need.
Key deliveries have been delayed, and long wait times for new parts are indirectly leading to more
Ukrainian deaths. Even in the face of adversity, the Ukrainian people have remained strong.
NATO has suggested the best thing they can do for Ukraine is to help them build facilities to make
their own weapons. This may have been a good idea several years ago when it was clear that Russia
was becoming more and more aggressive and that Ukraine would be the target of a future invasion,
but now it’s too late. Whether they want to admit it or not, NATO countries are afraid of Russia.
They are worried that the oil and natural resources it controls will stop flowing,
which it has, but they are also terrified that if they intervene, Putin will use his nuclear
capabilities. These are valid concerns, but NATO should now be taking decisive action
to help Ukraine and not trying to brainstorm ways to hide their involvement in the conflict.
Even though Russia has fallen back, it does not mean the war is over,
not even close. This is why Ukraine is planning ahead and asking for more military support in
the form of air defense and armored vehicles. However, there are other things that Ukraine
desperately needs, And surprisingly, they are not weapons at all. Instead,
Ukraine is asking for things that will save the lives of its people.
Ukraine knows that the coming months will be incredibly difficult. As more kamikaze drones
are flown into power stations, and missiles destroy buildings, Ukraine needs vehicles and
resources to provide aid to their people. This is why they have asked for ambulances, generators,
and medical equipment. Technically none of these things are weapons,
but it should be noted that the more Ukrainian citizens make it through the harsh winter,
the more angry people Russia will have to deal with when spring comes around. And the
resilience of the general population will only make Ukrainian soldiers fight harder.
The military needs of Ukraine should not be overlooked. However, it’s the people
in the country that are suffering the most. If nothing else, nations around the world should
be sending support in ways that will help save lives. The only way that Ukraine can
succeed in the next stage of the war is if they have people who can continue to fight.
The longer the war lasts, the less faith the Russian people will have in Putin. The Russian
military has already lost tens of thousands of men to the Ukrainian army. At the same time,
huge numbers of Russians are either deserting or fleeing the country. With each day that
passes without a victory, the people of Russia question the current leadership more and more.
Sending Ukraine the equipment they need could bring Russia to its knees.
It’s highly unlikely that Putin will be overthrown by a coup
or a popular revolt due to a number of contingencies he’s put in place. However,
if the protests continue and Russian soldiers become more and more frustrated and afraid,
it’s only a matter of time before Ukrainian forces will gain the upper hand and take back
the territory that has been invaded. This is why the nations of NATO need to provide Ukraine
with the weapons and resources they need to prepare for the next stage of this war.
Now watch “Why Putin Is Scared to Deploy the T-14 Armata Tank in
Ukraine.” Or check out “Russia's Plan to Win the War in Ukraine.”