Ukraine continues to face a shortage of air defence systems to protect its energy sector. However, despite the challenges, the country’s air defenders are repelling many of the attacks.
In the Chernihiv, Sumy and Poltava Regions, Russia carried out 1,550 strikes over the course of a month, with 160 confirmed hits, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a meeting with journalists on 8 October.
“You know everything about interceptors, in principle. Additional funding is constantly being found and increased. You must also understand that interceptors are not just, for example, having 500 or 1,000 per day. What we must do, and it will be done. There are already quite a few of them, but there is a question from manufacturers regarding the systems. That is, the question is the number of launch systems for the corresponding drones. We need to increase them,” he said.
According to the president, interception rates remain satisfactory: during one of the attacks in the Chernihiv Region, 36 Shaheds were launched, 22 of which were destroyed by interceptors.
“As for the gas infrastructure, which is currently under heavy pressure from Russian attacks, we have a plan A and a plan B. In plan B, if there is a strong attack on the entire gas infrastructure, we understand that we will then have to import. We understand the volume and cost of the corresponding imports. This is plan B. Plan A is when we use more of our own production. In Plan B, we understand where to get the money we need,” Zelenskyy added.
He explained that Russia has intensified its strikes on these three Regions — Sumy, Chernihiv and Poltava — because they are among the Russia’s main targets. During their assaults, the Russians destroy everything they can.
“Russia’s goal is to create chaos and put psychological pressure on people by striking the energy sector and the railway,” he said.
“Chernihiv and Sumy are border Regions. The strikes on Poltava are intended to leave us without fuel. They are targeting our energy infrastructure and the centre of our fuel production,” he added.
The president also noted that Russia has intensified its attacks on the railway, seeking to disrupt logistics and intimidate civilians.
“They are striking both freight and passenger transport. It’s all intimidation. They will strike, and we must defend ourselves. Ukrzaliznytsya was present at the headquarters. And the head of Ukrzaliznytsya has a task, together with the military, to defend stations and key hubs. We will do all this,” he said.
According to Zelenskyy, the Kremlin is using these strikes to create the illusion of success, as Russian forces have failed to achieve their military objectives on the battlefield.