Ukraine developing own weapons to counter Russian aircraft - president

Ukraine relies on combined protection against Russia's guided aerial bombs and develops its own weapons to counter Russian aircraft.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in an interview with the United News telethon in the Chernihiv region, Ukrinform reports.

"Ukraine can count on combined protection against guided aerial bombs. So far, the Defense Forces have been using only air defense systems against Russian aircraft carrying guided aerial bombs. Their effective use has forced the enemy to launch aerial bombs from a greater distance," Zelensky said.

He noted that at the distance at which Ukrainian forces shot down enemy glide bomb carriers, they realized that they should not come so deep into Ukrainian territory. So they have now increased the distance, Zelensky said.

"We must increase the number of long-range anti-aircraft defense systems. I emphasize that Russia is afraid of this," he said.

Zelensky said that the situation would significantly improve with the arrival of F-16 fighter jets, which the Ukrainian Air Force will soon receive. However, their quantity will be insufficient for complete protection against guided aerial bombs. Therefore, Ukraine is also developing its weaponry to counter Russian aircraft.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine