Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainian air defense is now able to shoot down over 90% of Shahed attack drones, calling this result the best in the world. His words were quoted by the BBC, BTA reports.
In a speech at a defense industry forum on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Zelensky emphasized the military and technological experience Ukraine has gained since the start of the war, especially in the development and use of unmanned systems.
„Do you really believe that a country with such defense capabilities should remain outside the Alliance? "Ukraine in NATO is a source of extraordinary defense capabilities," the Ukrainian president told an audience that included European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Zelensky also pointed out that Ukrainian long-range drones are now reaching deep into Russian territory, including the city of Omsk. According to him, the attack on an oil refinery in the Siberian city is not an isolated incident.
“There is not a single large oil refinery left in Russia that has not been attacked by the Ukrainian armed forces“, he said.
The Ukrainian president also drew attention to the “Drone Deal“ initiative, through which Ukraine's partners, including countries from the European Union and NATO, as well as Azerbaijan and countries from the Persian Gulf, can receive Ukrainian unmanned systems.
According to Zelensky, the only major military advantage that Russia still retains is ballistic missiles. For this reason, he called on European countries to develop and begin mass production of their own air and missile defense systems as soon as possible.
“Europe needs its own air defense systems that can be mass-produced and protect against Russian missile strikes. They must be developed as soon as possible - today, not in the future,“, Zelensky stressed.
He also appealed to Ukraine's allies to continue supplying air defense missiles.
“While this war continues, please help us with air defense missiles. This is our main priority. We can do everything else ourselves,“, the Ukrainian president said.