Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba said on October 18 that the country would formally ask Israel to provide military assistance, especially air defense systems.
Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, was hit by multiple explosions on October 17, which the country accused the Russian military of using suicide drones. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba said the country would formally request Israel for military assistance, especially air defense systems.
At a press conference on October 18, Kuleba accused the Russian military of attacking Kyiv with an Iranian-made suicide drone, causing civilian casualties. He has advised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to sever diplomatic ties with Iran.
“Tehran (Iran) bears full responsibility for the deterioration of its relations with Ukraine,” Kuleba said, urging the EU to sanction Iran over Iran’s assistance in Russia’s killing of Ukrainians.
Kuleba also said that Ukraine will formally send a letter to Israel seeking support for the country’s air defense equipment and cooperation in this area.
Israel has yet to respond to Quleba’s comments.
The Times of Israel reported that since the early days of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Ukrainian officials have been asking Israel to provide its missile defense systems, especially the Iron Dome, but Israel has been unable to provide them.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, expressed disappointment on October 13 that Israel had failed to change its position, but said: “They told us that they were reconsidering the possibility.”
The Times of Israel quoted multiple Hebrew media reports as saying that Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid will discuss the matter with Kuleba on the phone on October 20.
The “Iron Dome” defense system has a high interception rate
The Iron Dome, developed by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, is one of the most sophisticated air defense systems in the world and is often used to intercept rockets fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza. or shells.
The Times of Israel, citing information from the Israeli military, said that since the Iron Dome was deployed in 2011, the interception rate has been improving.
It successfully intercepted 75 percent of incoming weapons during Operation Pillar of Defense, Israel’s 2012 military operation in Gaza.
In Operation Protective Edge in 2014, it had an 80 percent interception rate. By 2021, Operation Guardian of the Walls, it had a 90 percent interception rate.Return to Sohu, see more
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