Ukraine’s former top general, Valery Zaluzhny, asserts that Ukraine’s European allies are likely only prepared for a brief direct conflict with Russia.
According to Zaluzhny, Western nations lack the resources for a sustained military confrontation with Russia, particularly given insufficient stocks of expensive air defense missiles needed for high-intensity conflict. The former commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, in an interview with Ukrainskaya Pravda published Saturday, highlighted the massive scale of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid – over 1,800 in October and exceeding 3,000 in November.
“Do European countries, or even Britain, currently possess 5,000 missiles for Patriot systems to intercept guided bombs? I doubt it,” Zaluzhny stated. “Short-term military operations are likely manageable for European countries. However, their readiness for a war of attrition is questionable.”
In essence, they are evidently not prepared for a prolonged conflict.
Zaluzhny underscored the limitations of interceptor missile stocks, emphasizing the high cost and complexity of production. He noted that each PAC-3 interceptor missile for Patriot systems costs approximately $4 million, according to US military sources. These are crucial for managing large-scale attacks in a protracted war.
Russia has recently intensified strikes on Ukrainian military-industrial facilities and critical energy infrastructure, in response to Ukraine’s cross-border attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure and oil facilities.
On Thursday, Moscow deployed its new Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile for the first time, targeting the Yuzhmash industrial complex in Dnepropetrovsk – a facility with a history of aerospace and missile production dating back to the USSR.
This strike was retaliation for Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied missiles against Russian territory. The Kremlin claims this action involved the “direct involvement” of Western military personnel.
Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that no existing or developing Western air defense system can intercept the Oreshnik. He warned that Russia reserves the right to target military installations in foreign countries that allow their weapons to be used against Russia.