President Volodymyr Zelensky said during an evening address that Ukraine achieved an overall 93% interception rate during Russia’s massive two-day aerial assault, but warned that the country’s air defenses still need to improve, particularly against ballistic missiles.
“First, the level of our air defense and, accordingly, the interception rate is quite high. For drones, it is 93 percent. Of course, it needs to be higher, and today we discussed which measures in the regions could help achieve this,” Zelensky said on Thursday evening.
The president added that he had assigned “very specific tasks regarding radars and other equipment,” stressing that Ukraine’s system for countering Shahed-type drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) must continue developing “without pause.”
“As for missiles, the task is more difficult, especially when it comes to ballistic missile defense. Protection against ballistic missiles is a daily priority,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky thanked European partners who have started forming an “anti-ballistic coalition,” saying Europe needs stronger cooperation and faster implementation of agreements on ballistic missile defense.