About 80% of Ukraine’s territory remains unprotected against ballistic missile threats, Zelenskyy
In an interview with the German outlet Tagesschau, he described the situation with the country’s air defence as critical. According to Zelenskyy, a large part of Ukraine still lacks air defence systems capable of effectively intercepting enemy ballistic missiles.
The president stressed that his public statements about the shortage of air defence systems are not a criticism of Western partners. Rather, they are an attempt to draw the international community’s attention to the real level of danger facing Ukrainian cities and civilians.
For security reasons, Zelenskyy declined to disclose the exact locations of the existing systems but shared stark figures: “I will not say where our Patriot systems are located. But 80% of our country’s territory does not have such systems against ballistic missiles,” he said, referring to the Patriot system.
The Ukrainian authorities are currently exploring every possible way to strengthen the country’s defences and better protect its regions. Despite an acute shortage of ready-made systems, Kyiv has made progress in securing funding for new deliveries.
According to the president, Ukraine, together with its international partners, has already found the necessary resources to purchase the expensive equipment. “Even if we are not given the systems, we have found the money for them together with our partners,” Zelenskyy noted.
He personally held a series of difficult negotiations with the leaders of Germany, Norway, the Nordic countries and Canada. The main focus of these talks was raising funds to acquire modern systems to protect Ukrainians from ongoing attacks.
The high cost of advanced air defence technology remains one of the main challenges for both Ukraine’s wartime budget and donor countries. According to Zelenskyy, one battery costs between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, while each missile costs between $2 million and $3 million.
Despite this, agreements have already been reached following international contacts to allocate additional financial packages for these needs.
Earlier, Zelenskyy also urged the United States and Donald Trump to remain on Ukraine’s side and called on the European Union to provide a concrete date for Ukraine’s accession.
