Ukraine is considering forming consortia with allied countries to develop air defence systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has announced. The decision aims to address a "critical" shortage of PAC-3 missiles for US-supplied Patriot systems, a key component in defending against Russian ballistic strikes.
Fedorov notes that Ukraine has significant potential to independently produce counter-ballistic systems and missiles but acknowledges that creating a multinational defence venture would be mathematically complex and time-consuming. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly criticised delays in aid from allies, with several Patriot systems reportedly running out of ammunition at one point in January. According to this latest announcement, discussions are ongoing regarding which partners could participate and how production could be coordinated...