Foreign Minister Explains Importance of Strengthening Ukraine’s Air Defence before Winter Attacks
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has stressed that the cost of an air defence missile is several times less than repairing the consequences of a hit to the energy infrastructure, so it is more profitable to invest in air defence directly.
Kuleba posted on Twitter (X) an infographic with "simple math" of support for Ukraine, which states that the cost of one Patriot missile is about US$4 million, while the restoration of a damaged power plant will cost about US$19 million.
Simple math of supporting Ukraine.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) October 31, 2023
1 Patriot missile = $4.1 mln. 1 damaged power plant unit = $19.1 mln.
That’s why it makes perfect sense to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense to the maximum today in order to save resources later.
Human lives saved by air defense are priceless. pic.twitter.com/1d38Y3iMEg
"That’s why it makes perfect sense to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence to the maximum today in order to save resources later. Human lives saved by air defence are priceless," the Foreign Minister said.
Ukraine's air defence network was one of the key topics of the October Ramstein meeting, and since then, the President of Ukraine has raised the issue of strengthening air defence in conversations with many leaders.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that air defence equipment would be a key element of the winter aid package for Ukraine.
The latest batch of military aid from Germany included another air defence system, an IRIS-T.