Syrsky: Ukraine is developing its own air defense system to combat the Russian "Oreshnik."

Ukraine is working on developing its own air defense systems, stated Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi in an interview with TSN military correspondent Andriy Tsaplienko on January 19.

“We produced virtually all the command systems for anti-aircraft complexes during the Soviet era. This means we have the capabilities and resources to create, and we are working on establishing our domestic air defense complex,” Syrskyi said.

According to him, the Ukrainian air defense system should match the American Patriot.

Syrskyi noted that the threat from the new Russian medium-range ballistic missile “Oreshnik” serves as a strong motivation for Kyiv to develop its own missile defense system.

Only a few air defense systems can intercept the “Oreshnik,” Syrskyi stated, and Ukraine currently lacks these capabilities.

“This pushes us to create our own air defense system that would not only be an air defense system but could also counter missiles,” he said.

“This encourages us to engage in active negotiations with our allies to acquire such a system. And of course, it should motivate us to create a modern missile system that could act as a deterrent against the use of such weapons by the Russians,” emphasized the Commander-in-Chief.

Previously, Putin claimed that Western air defense systems are incapable of intercepting the “Oreshnik” missiles and even proposed a “high-tech duel” with the West, which would involve launching an “Oreshnik” at Kyiv, while Western air defense systems were expected to demonstrate their capability to intercept it.

The United States operates in the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) zone, designed to intercept medium-range ballistic missiles. The system has not been supplied to Ukraine and, therefore, has never been tested against the “Oreshnik.”

In the interview, Syrskyi noted that work has already begun on developing Ukraine's own missile defense system.

“Work is underway, and it is actively being pursued in this direction. I hope that soon we will achieve the desired results,” he said.

Background. Earlier, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated that Ukraine plans to spend a record $35 billion on weapons production by 2025. The Ukrainian government intends to allocate $17 billion, while the rest may be funded by allies.

The United Kingdom has agreed to finance the production of air defense systems and long-range weapons in Ukraine, Umerov reported on January 13.