Ukraine Needs 20 NASAMS, HAWK, or IRIS-T Systems Amid Russian Power Grid Assaults, Says FM Sybiha

Ukraine needs 20 additional air defense systems to defend the nation’s power infrastructure from Russian assaults, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on December 13.

“Massive Russian missile attack on Ukraine this morning primarily targeted the energy system,” Sybiha stated. “Russia aims to deprive us of energy. Instead, we must deprive it of the means of terror.”

Ukrainian FM called on Ukraine’s allies to accelerate the delivery of air defense systems, specifying the need for 20 units of NASAMS, HAWK, or IRIS-T systems to enhance protection against further strikes.

On December 13, Russia launched 94 long-range missiles from both air and sea, alongside 193 strike drones targeting the Ukrainian power system.

Ukrainian Air Forces downed 81 Russian missiles and 80 strike drones with 105 more being ‘lost’ due to electronic warfare systems work. Five drones were sent back to Russia and 1 went back to Belarus.

Still, the attacks caused significant damage to Ukraine’s power grid, Ukraine’s largest private energy provider, DTEK reported.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Ukrainian F-16s downed 11 Russian missiles during a recent massive aerial assault on Ukraine.