New US aid package will help fight against Iranian missiles more effectively - Serhiy Zgurets column

Military aid from Bulgaria

Bulgaria has a large number of installed Soviet weapons and defense industrial complex that manufactures some of its own products, including NATO and Soviet-caliber artillery ammunition. By the way, Ukraine bought ammunition in Bulgaria and will continue to do so. Russia even blew up warehouses there to prevent these ammunition from reaching Ukraine. Also, neighbours have tanks and BMPs, which we need and can transfer. Main thing is that Bulgaria has a significant list of air defense systems. These are both old samples and new ones, like the S-300 complex. The main thing is that it has missiles for these systems, which we desperately need. We will see whether Bulgaria will transfer S-300 air defense systems or the arsenals for them, but this step is extremely positive.

Defense aid package from the US

What does the package of military aid for the total amount of 400 million dollars include? First of all, there are tanks. It's not Abrams yet. These are T-72 tanks - 45 tanks that the USA will buy from Czech Republic and then modernize at its own facilities. A Pentagon representative said this will be the most advanced version Ukraine will receive for conducting warfare. Some of the tanks will arrive by the end of the year, and the rest next year. I will say this is a good addition, because we need to advance and there can never be too many tanks on the battlefield.  There are also 250 M1117 armored personnel carriers - wheeled armored combat vehicle. This is a new model that was once used by the US Army in Iraq and Afghanistan - 4 by 4 armored combat vehicle that can have different functions. It is just optimal for our light and assault divisions and can have different versions. One of them is a wheeled tank with a turret from Cockerill company. And this tower can use Ukrainian guided projectile of 90 mm caliber. In fact, this is just an opportunity to bring into the Ukrainian defense industry the creation of new types of weapons under this world-famous platform. There are also 40 armored boats. We will need these boats so much to chase and destroy Russian troops on Dnipro river. We do not have such an opportunity, but we will get it thanks to the Pentagon. Phoenix Ghost ‘kamikaze’ barrage drones are also transferred - as many as 1,110 units. We've received another 700 drones since July, but we don't actually have any photos or videos related to Phoenix Ghost. They remain a highly classified impact munition. Even on the website of the Aerospace company there is no mention of this impact barrage munition. This ‘kamikaze’ is designed to destroy targets with average level of armor, i.e. tanks. It can stay in the air for about 6 hours and in fact there are estimates from the Pentagon: "Ukrainians make excellent use of Phoenix Ghost system, this makes it possible to contract additional capacity, and we will be able to ensure stable supply of this potential to support Ukrainian Armed Forces." The Pentagon discussed it a few months ago, and now we see that the result is quite tangible. We really need these barrage munitions on the battlefield. Package also includes air defense systems. Hawk systems and missiles for them should be modernized. This system was the predecessor of the Patriot air defense system. It can destroy targets at a distance of up to 50 km. It is not known how many systems the US will transfer to us, but before this Spain was ready to transfer four Hawk complexes.

This package solves a number of tasks we need to succeed on the battlefield. As well as the issue of gradual consolidation of our air defense, in order to guarantee a fight against various targets, starting from Russian barrage munitions and missiles, which Russia wants to purchase from Iran and use against Ukraine.