FT sources name main topic of next Ramstein meeting

The Financial Times reports.  

According to the newspaper's sources, the main topic of the meeting of Ukraine's allies, which will take place at the Ramstein military base in Germany on April 21, will be the replenishment of ammunition for Ukrainian air defense. This is important not only for protection against Russian attacks in the rear, but also for the success of the expected counteroffensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The depletion of air defense ammunition, especially Soviet-made ammunition, was also mentioned in Pentagon documents leaked on social media in early April. The FT claims that Kyiv has unofficially recognized that the problem exists. Now, European sources of the publication also recognize this. 

"If Russian bombers with unguided bombs can get close, things look bad," said one of the anonymous sources.

According to another source, the recent transfer of Mig-29 fighters by Eastern European countries was also motivated by the desire to strengthen Ukraine's air defense.

Military experts emphasize that air dominance is one of the main factors of success in breaking through echeloned defenses, so if Ukraine fails to ensure this condition, the success of the counteroffensive will be jeopardized.

The FT recalls that in recent years, Russia has widely used aviation in Syria, where the rebels had no air defense. In particular, this led to large-scale destruction in Aleppo. In Ukraine, after the first few days of the full-scale war, Russian warplanes began to avoid Ukrainian airspace and operate near the front line, or, as strategic bombers, at a distance of thousands of kilometers.

• The next meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense is scheduled for April 21.

• On April 18, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov discussed priorities ahead of the Ramstein meeting.