Air defense capabilities available to Ukraine would be sufficient to deal with incoming Iranian ballistic missiles Fateh and Zolfaghar if Tehran moves to hand them over to Russia.
This was stated by Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat during the national telethon, Ukrinform reports with reference to RFE/RL.
"Russia has not abandoned its intentions to receive kamikaze drones and missiles from Iran, which was announced earlier, Fateh and Zolfaghar, the ballistic ones. Against ballistic missiles, we have nothing today," the spokesman said.
At the same time, he noted that Russia also has ballistic weapons, including Kinzhal, Kh-22, and S-300 missiles, and also S-400 anti-aircraft missiles that fly along a ballistic trajectory.
Read also: Russians keeping Kinzhal missiles to hit Ukraine’s strategic objects - Ihnat
Ihnat emphasized that Ukraine's allies are aware of these challenges.
"Our partners understand that countermeasures like the Patriot PAC-3 and SAMP-T are needed against ballistic threats. We’re seeing a shift: Italy and France have declared their readiness to transfer these systems as well," he noted.
In late December, Ukrainian intelligence reported that Iran still refuses to supply Russia with ballistic missiles. Moscow was said to have offered scientific know-how to Iran's military industry to convince Tehran to support them by supplying these missiles.
