Ignat - additional Patriot systems needed to protect Lviv airport

08.06.2023 17:00

Ukrinform

The opening of the airport in Lviv may become another target for the enemy, so additional Patriot air defense systems are needed for such steps.

Yuriy Ignat, spokesman for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said this on the air of the nationwide telethon "United News", commenting on the resumption of the work of the international airport 'Lviv' named after Danylo Halytskyi.

"In fact, it is a little strange how it will work in this situation... We need to understand the security or danger in the country. Tell me, how long has it been since Shaheds or cruise missiles have been flying over Lviv, or Ternopil, or Khmelnytskyi? I think the answer is in this. If the enemy realizes that there is a functioning airfield in Ukraine, they will see it as a potential target that can deliver Western weapons," the spokesman said.

Ihnat noted that only military airfields are currently operating in Ukraine, and dozens of such airfields are a constant target for the eanemy. He recalled the recent enemy attacks on airfields in Kropyvnytskyi and Starokostiantyniv.

According to the spokesperson, the opening of the airfield in Lviv is important, but the country currently lacks air defense systems.

"The issue of airfields is important, and it is clear that we want to have air communication with our partners, but we need to protect it with something. It is clear that the Patriot systems that can protect against ballistic missiles, IRIS-T, NASAMS systems that we receive from our partners today are not available in sufficient quantities in the country, but we have a lot to protect," Ihnat said, and added that today, first of all, it is necessary to cover critical infrastructure facilities and hydraulic structures.

As reported, the day before, the head of the Lviv Regional State Administration, Maksym Kozytskyi, said after the signing of the European Union's Connecting Europe program by Deputy Prime Minister for Recovery and Minister of Community, Territorial and Infrastructure Development Oleksandr Kubrakov and EU Commissioner for Transport Adina Veljan that the international airport 'Lviv' named after Danylo Halytskyi could resume its activities as a humanitarian corridor.