Putin vows to destroy US missile defense systems in Ukraine

Russian president Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to destroy Patriot missile defense systems If the United States continues its commitment to supply them to Ukraine.

In an interview broadcast on Christmas Day on the state-controlled TV channel Rossiya-1, Putin vowed to destroy the anti-missile system that could effectively destroy incoming targets.

During the interview with state-sanctioned journalist Pavel Zarubin, Putin said that Ukraine had been reassured “it does not yet have such complexes” and assured that Russia would destroy the systems.

“Of course, we will click 100 percent,” Putin said, according to Russian state media TASS.

Patriot missile defense system is an essential part of $1.85 billion in security assistance support package announced by the Ministry of Defense on Wednesday.

According to Reuters, Patriot – which stands for Phased Array Tracking Radar Interceptor targetingIt is considered one of the most advanced defense systems in the US arsenal.

The system uses powerful radar and has a range of about 93 miles and can intercept incoming missiles.

Patriot systems will be able to target ballistic missiles, aircraft and drones that Russia sends to destroy or damage Ukrainian infrastructure.

Retired US General Mark Hertling Common concerns about schedule To share the missile system while talking to CNN He also said that it would take “months” of practice to use it optimally.

He added that the missile defense system is not something that can defend the whole of Ukraine.

“These systems don’t capture and move around the battlefield,” Hertling said. “You put them somewhere that defends your most strategic target, like a city, like Kyiv.”

“If anyone thinks this is going to be a system spread across the 500-mile border between Ukraine and Russia, they don’t know how the system works.”

On Thursday, Putin said the aid package to Ukraine would “prolong the conflict” in eastern Europe It claimed the Patriot missile system was “very outdated”.

Newsweek Contact the Kremlin for comment.

Russia underestimated that Ukrainian president Volodymyr ZelenskyZelensky’s recent visit to Washington, D.C. delivered a historic speech to US lawmakers at the US Capitol that resulted in the announcement of the $1.85 billion package.

said the Ukrainian leader Congress Ukraine “will never give up” and highlighted the strong ties between the United States and his country.

Zelensky attempted to secure more arms from the United States as it continued its counteroffensive to recapture territory lost to Russia during the war’s initial phase.