Ignat: Patriot air defense systems will shoot down not only ballistic missiles, but also Russian aircraft

Patriot air defense systems that Ukraine receives from international partners, can shoot down not only ballistic missiles, but also enemy aircraft that launch missile and bomb attacks on the territory of Ukraine from the occupied territories. This was stated by the speaker of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuri Ignat on the air of the telethon.

«The complex is good not only in terms of shooting down ballistic missiles, it is a long-range complex. We, unfortunately, do not have such long-range anti-aircraft systems, because our main system is Buk-M1 with a range of up to 40 km, S-300 with a range of 70 km. Therefore, the range of 150 km, having both Patriot and SAMP/T complexes, will help, first of all, to shoot down not only ballistic missiles, but also to resist Russian aircraft at long distances & # 187;, & # 8212; said Ignat.

He stressed that Russia today uses aviation in the frontline zone of the North and South in order to strike with both missiles and guided bombs.

«They fly up to a distance of 30-40 , 50-60 km to our borders and can drop these bombs. What are large-tonnage aerial bombs, we know how destructive they are. And the presence of long-range anti-aircraft systems, as well as aircraft capable of striking more than 150 km, will drive Russian aircraft away from our borders. It is clear that I would like to see not only downed Russian cruise missiles, but also their aircraft, which often appear on the line of combat,” the speaker noted.

Ignat specified that we are talking about a downing enemy aircraft in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, from where the aircraft of the occupiers launch missile and bomb attacks on the positions of the Defense Forces.

According to him, the complexes will be placed in such a way that they cover our critical infrastructure and troops.