€80M to Stop One Strike: Zelensky Says Russia Is Overwhelming Air Defenses With Volume
AI Analysis
Ukraine is facing intensified Russian missile and drone attacks, with President Zelensky highlighting the rising costs of air defense and the critical need for sustained international support. Russia has ramped up missile production and drone usage, while Ukraine is enhancing its counter-drone capabilities and relying on systems like Patriot and NASAMS to defend against ballistic and cruise missiles.
Key Takeaways
- Russia has significantly increased missile and drone attacks, including ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as Shahed-type kamikaze drones.
- Ukraine's air defense costs are escalating, with a single large-scale attack costing approximately €80 million in interceptor missiles.
- PAC-3 interceptors for Patriot systems are critical for countering ballistic missiles, but Ukraine requires more consistent supplies from international partners.
- Ukraine is expanding its counter-drone network with interceptor drones and mobile fire groups to combat the growing use of Shahed drones.
- Russia's ability to produce missiles and drones remains strong, sourcing components from private companies and partner countries, posing a long-term challenge.
Why It Matters
This escalation highlights the growing strain on Ukraine's air defense systems and the increasing financial burden of countering Russian attacks. The situation underscores the importance of sustained international military aid, particularly in advanced air defense systems and interceptor missiles, to maintain Ukraine's defensive capabilities and prevent further destabilization in the region.
The challenge facing Ukraine’s air defense is not a depletion of interceptor missiles, but a sharp increase in the number of missiles Russia is using in its attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“In my opinion, it’s not that we have fewer air defense missiles – it’s that the Russians now have more missiles,” Zelensky told journalists during an online briefing.
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He stressed that Ukraine has received additional air defense systems, but Moscow has significantly ramped up missile launches, including ballistic missiles.
Russia, he said, continues to expand its weapons production, sourcing components from individual countries and private companies.
“They receive components from, unfortunately, partner countries and from the private sector. Nevertheless, their ability to produce these missiles must be reduced – and that is not happening yet,” Zelensky said.
He added that PAC-3 interceptors for Patriot systems remain the only effective means of countering ballistic missiles. Ukraine, therefore, critically needs increased supplies of air defense missiles and uninterrupted support from its partners, above all the US.
Zelensky added that the timeliness of deliveries and the functioning of international missile procurement programs are crucial.
“For PURL to work and for partners to help us purchase the necessary missiles. The safety of Ukrainians depends greatly on the unity of the United States and Europe,” he said.
According to Zelensky, repelling Russia’s massive combined attack early Tuesday, Jan. 20, cost Ukraine at least €80 million, based solely on the cost of interceptor missiles.
“Today’s Russian attack cost us about €80 million ($93.8 million) just in missiles. Imagine that cost. And every day we are doing everything – and I am doing everything – to ensure we receive the necessary missiles and the protection our people need,” he said.
At the same time, Russia has multiplied its use of Shahed-type kamikaze drones. In response, Ukraine has expanded its network of interceptor drones and mobile fire groups, allowing it to develop more effective countermeasures.
“We are finding the tools. We will eventually defeat the Shaheds – we must do this. We cannot survive without it,” the president said.
Ukraine received a shipment of critically needed air defense missiles just one day before Russia launched a massive overnight attack, helping to repel the strike, Zelensky said earlier.
“A day before this strike, we finally received the necessary missiles, and this helped significantly. Every support package matters,” Zelensky said, stressing the urgent need for missiles for Patriot, NASAMS, and other air defense systems.
The attack in the early hours of Tuesday, Jan. 20, involved a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles as well as more than 300 attack drones.
According to the Air Force, Russia launched one Zircon missile, 18 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 339 drones. By 10 a.m., Ukrainian forces had shot down or suppressed 342 targets, while several missiles and drones struck or left debris at multiple locations.
Kyiv was hit particularly hard, with more than 5,600 high-rise buildings left without heating amid freezing temperatures.
Strikes were also reported in the Kyiv region, Dnipro, Vinnytsia, Chornomorsk, and other areas. A 50-year-old man was killed in the Bucha district, two women were injured in Dnipro, and energy infrastructure was damaged in several regions, leaving more than 10,000 households without power in the Rivne region.
Emergency power outages were introduced in multiple regions. Kyiv has faced outages since Jan. 9.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said the attack aimed to leave Kyiv without electricity and heating. He warned that continued inaction would embolden Russia further, making similar attacks in Europe only a matter of time.
Julia Struck is a Deputy Head of News and correspondent for Kyiv Post who has previously worked as a parliamentary editor, journalist, and news editor. She has specialized in covering the work of the Ukrainian parliament, government, and law enforcement agencies.