Ukraine Touts ‘New Era of Air Defense’ with Missiles, NASAMS, More HIMARS

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has welcomed additional Western military aid that he says will help Ukraine to defend itself from Russian air attacks.

Reznikov announced Tuesday evening on Twitter that the Ukrainian military has received four more High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), which have previously been used to upend Russia’s war effort. Also on the way are National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), which Ukrainian officials have sought to protect against Russian missiles and drones. The announcement comes amid a wave of Russian missile strikes targeting Ukrainian cities.

“A new era of air defence has begun in [Ukraine],” Reznikov said on Twitter.

In addition to the NASAMS, Reznikov said that Ukraine had already obtained IRIS-T air defense systems from Germany.

“This is only the beginning,” Reznikov said. “And we need more. No doubt that russia is a terrorist state. There is a moral imperative to protect the sky over [Ukraine] in order to save our people.”

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced earlier on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces across the country shot down 21 winged rockets and 11 drones fired by Russia. The attacks are the second day Russian forces have launched a string of aerial strikes on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, in retaliation for an explosion at the Kerch Bridge, which connects Russia to the occupied Crimean peninsula.

Military personnel stand next to a High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) during the military exercise Namejs 2022 on September 26, 2022, in Skede, Latvia. Ukraine’s defense minister said on Tuesday the country has received four rocket launchers from the U.S. with additional air defense systems to come. Gints Ivuskans/Getty Images

The attacks gave new urgency to promises from Ukraine’s Western allies to deliver air defense systems. Germany on Monday said that within the coming days it would deliver to Ukraine four of its IRIS-T air defense systems that fire short-range missiles from the ground.

The Biden administration has previously signed off on delivering a total of eight NASAMS to Ukraine. White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said during a media briefing Tuesday that the first two will be delivered in “the very near future,” reports Reuters.

“We are certainly interested in expediting the delivery of NASAMS to Ukraine as soon as we can,” Kirby said.

Reznikov said in a separate tweet that Ukraine’s military has received four additional HIMARS, thanking President Joe Biden and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for the support.

“HIMARS time:good time for Ukrainians and bad time for the occupiers,” said Reznikov in a tweet.

The U.S. over the summer delivered 16 HIMARS to Ukraine’s military, which have been described as a “game-changer.” The system requires a handful of soldiers and mounts on a truck. Ukraine’s smaller military has used it to strike against against ammunition depots, long-range artillery positions, command posts and air-defense sites behind Russian lines.

Anton Gerashchenko, an advisor to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, told Newsweek earlier on Tuesday that Ukraine would need another 32 HIMARS, as well as other military equipment, to defend itself against what he called Russia’s “escalation” of the conflict.

Newsweek reached out to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense for comment.