International • 07:33 • Modified at 08:34 Ukraine expects major Russian revenge: 'Ballistic missiles not disabled' Author : BNR Web Editors Ukraine is bracing for Russian revenge after a spectacular Ukrainian covert operation destroyed dozens of fighter jets and bombers. "Everyone here in Kyiv is talking about it," says correspondent Chris Colijn. "Everyone expects something big to happen."
So far, the Russian response has not been forthcoming. However, yesterday the air raid siren went off several times in Kyiv, accompanied by reports that Russia was about to launch a hypersonic missile, or had even already been launched. 'That is a missile that can strike anywhere within a few minutes, so you can hardly hide from it. It turned out to be a false alarm, but it is causing a lot of unrest.'
Definitely not safe The fact that the feared Russian reaction has not yet materialized certainly does not mean that Ukraine should feel safe. The daring attack on military airfields deep in Russia did indeed destroy many strategic bombers, but that is not the only thing that Ukraine has to fear.
'The Europeans really have to do this themselves now.' Correspondent Chris Colijn
'Russia has been firing a lot of ballistic missiles lately. And they were not neutralized during the action. So that is the big threat now,' says Colijn. Those missiles are also fast and reasonably accurate, and Ukraine also has trouble stopping them. 'That is precisely why they need Western air defense, especially Patriots, but their missile supplies are running out. Ukraine has fewer and fewer resources to stop them. That is becoming increasingly difficult.' At the same time, Russia continues to increase its weapons production.
The missiles for the Patriot systems were previously supplied by the US. Now that the Americans are increasingly withdrawing, the question is to what extent European arms deliveries can keep the Ukrainian air defense going. A sign of this is that the Americans will not be present for the first time today at the NATO meeting on the coordination of aid to Ukraine. Colijn: 'The Europeans really have to do this themselves now.'
