Ukraine snubs Israeli offer of missile alert system, demands weapons

The alleged Ukrainian refusal is in line with Kyiv’s hardline pressure on the Jewish State to ally with the country and abandon its ties with Russia.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

The Ukrainian government is reportedly refusing to cooperate with Israeli defense officials who have offered to supply the embattled Eastern European country with a missile alert system similar to the one used for Israel’s Iron Dome, according to a report from Hebrew language outlet Channel 13 News.

Kyiv has repeatedly demanded that Israel supply Ukraine with weapons and apply economic sanctions against Russia, two moves that so far Jerusalem has resisted as it continues to toe the diplomatic line with Moscow.

As Kyiv is bombarded by Russian strikes, including those utilizing Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones, Israel has offered to supply Ukraine with an early-warning missile alert system which can help civilians get to safety ahead of incoming bombings.

In a leaked letter from the Ukrainian embassy in Israel to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs published on Twitter by a journalist from Axios, Ukrainian diplomats expressed that the country is “highly interested in obtaining from Israel (in shortest possible terms) defense systems, in particular: Iron Beam, Barak-8, Patriot, Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow Interceptor and Israeli support in training for Ukrainian operators.”

Notably, the short-range Iron Beam system is not yet operational within Israel, and the Patriot is manufactured in the U.S.

Ukraine stressed the importance of receiving the systems as soon as possible, due to the “high probability of prompt deliveries to the Russian Federation of Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar ballistic missiles from Iran.”

But according to the Channel 13 report, Ukraine is refusing an offer made last week by Defense Minister Benny Gantz to supply Kyiv with an aerial attack warning system, because it does not include interception technology, which would shoot down incoming missiles or drones.

If Israel supplied that technology to Ukraine, that would likely be seen by Russia as a sign of Israel clearly taking sides in the conflict.

The alleged Ukrainian refusal is in line with Kyiv’s hardline pressure on the Jewish State to ally with the country and abandon its ties with Russia.

Ukrainian officials have vocally criticized Israel for not supplying Kyiv with weapons, while downplaying Israeli humanitarian efforts in the country, such as building a field hospital in Ukraine which cost Jerusalem some $6.4 million.

Iron DomeIsrael-Ukraine relationsRussia Ukraine