Israel has proposed equipping Ukraine with an aerial threat alert system, but Kyiv has not cooperated on the matter, according to a weekend report.
Citing unidentified Israeli sources, Channel 13 reported that Israel has sought information from Ukrainian authorities to help it design a system that suits its needs, but has made little progress.
The network said Israeli officials believe Kyiv may be unhappy with the offer given Jerusalem’s continued refusal to supply Ukraine with defensive weapons that would allow the country to intercept threats.
On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Benny Gantz reiterated that Israel would not supply arms to Ukraine to fight Russia’s eight-month invasion, but said it could provide the beleaguered nation with an early warning system to warn of incoming attacks, like Israel’s .
However, Israel’s system is coupled with Iron Dome and other interceptor batteries capable of hitting incoming threats, an element that Israel appears unwilling to offer Kyiv.
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Israel’s warning system uses a mix of radar and electro-optical devices to detect rocket, missile and drone launches, classify the size and threat they pose, and pinpoint on a map the areas at risk.
Secretary of Defense Benny Gantz speaks at Rishon LeZion, October 20, 2022 (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
Citizens receive alerts through sirens, notifications on their phones, and news on TV and radio.
The system has been credited with saving hundreds of lives over the years during outbreaks of violence by terrorist groups in Gaza and Lebanon, who have fired thousands of projectiles at Israeli cities.
In recent years, the system’s accuracy has been improved, allowing it to target its alerts to specific areas of major cities.
Ukrainian cities have come under repeated attacks in recent weeks from Iranian-made loitering munitions, also known as suicide drones, and other missiles launched by Russia.
Since the early days of the invasion, senior Ukrainian officials, in public addresses and in private talks with decision-makers in Jerusalem, have asked Israel to send in its missile defense systems, particularly the Iron Dome.
But Jerusalem has so far avoided providing direct military aid to Kyiv — neither offensive weapons nor advanced defense technology — since Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24 to avoid a crisis with Moscow.
Firefighters work on buildings after a drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Oct. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Roman Hrytsyna)
Israel is one of the few countries that has relatively cordial relations with both Ukraine, another Western democracy, and Russia.
But Israel has been at odds with Russia as Jerusalem increasingly supports Ukraine while trying to maintain freedom of movement in Syria’s skies, which are largely controlled by Moscow.
In an official request sent to Israel this week, the Ukrainian government asked for world-class air defense systems developed by Israel, some of which are not yet operational, according to a letter obtained by the Axios website.
The outlet cited a copy of Tuesday’s letter with the requests, which said that Ukraine is “strongly interested in obtaining from Israel (in the shortest possible timeframe) defense systems, specifically: Iron Beam, Barak-8, Patriot, Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow Interceptor and Israeli support in training Ukrainian operators.”
The laser-based Iron Beam, which is intended to be used against short-range missile and mortar attacks and drones, is not yet operational. The Patriot missile defense system is manufactured by the US and was not included in the hardware of Washington’s own multi-billion dollar shipments to Ukraine.
Firefighters work after a drone shot at buildings October 17, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
David’s Sling and the Arrow Interceptor, medium and long-range defense systems respectively, are state-of-the-art interceptors.
In support of the requests, the Ukrainians said that “according to the available information … there is a high probability of immediate shipments of Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar ballistic missiles from Iran to the Russian Federation,” Axios reported.
They noted that Russia “has shifted to new methods of armed aggression against Ukraine,” including attacks on civilian areas using Iranian drones.
“@wallanewshttps://t.co/BOK76arbxW pic.twitter.com/gS7mAaO041
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) October 19, 2022
The letter argued that the delivery of the requested systems will benefit Israel, as “Iran’s positive experience of using … weapons in Ukraine will lead to further improvement of Iran’s systems.”
Such experiences will “significantly contribute to strengthening Iran’s potential to produce offensive weapons and, as a result, increase security threats to the State of Israel and the Middle East region,” the letter said.
“The Ukrainian side expects a positive response from Israel to this proposal,” the letter reads.
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