From the first days of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainians have been demanding the creation of an “air dome” over Ukraine modeled after Israel. It turned out that, due to several reasons, this idea could not be implemented. But at the end of 2023, this issue was discussed again at the G7 meeting in Tokyo. And now, the initiative comes not from Ukrainians but from the world’s most influential politicians. So it turns out that the “air shield” is still possible?
Impossible
The main arguments against the implementation of such a project on the territory of Ukraine in 2022 were the following:
– Large area. It is easier to create a “sky dome” over Israel because its territory is equal to the area of the Lviv region. So, it is possible to install such many modern air defense systems there that there will be almost no “blind” zones for the passage of missiles from external territories.
– Cost of the project. The second factor follows from the previous factor – the cost of such a quantity of weapons is too high. The world didn’t have the resources for that in 2022, and it would take decades to get them.
– Unpreparedness for World War. The international community was not ready for a large-scale conflict, so even all the air defense systems in the world would not be enough to provide Ukraine with reliable protection.
That is why, despite populist demands, no one considered the idea of creating an “iron dome” seriously.
Or is it still possible?
Despite this, in November 2023, at the G7 meeting in Tokyo, a broad discussion of the air defense shield over the sky of Ukraine took place. The question arises: why couldn’t this be done earlier?
The fact is that there are several nuances:
– Rationality. First of all, for politicians, war is mathematics. Initially, there were hopes that the Kremlin’s aggression could be restrained “with little blood.” Of course, it is not about the blood of Ukrainians but about infusions from budgets and international funds. The provided weaponry was expensive, but it turned out that it was actually “money down the drain” because the Russians could successfully destroy such objects on the territory of Ukraine with missiles. So, it is possible to provide Ukraine with equipment and artillery systems indefinitely, but does it make sense if no one can guarantee their use?
– Relativity. Creating reliable protection over the whole of Ukraine is a utopian idea. Therefore, they decided to focus on essential objects. Of course, these are not residential areas but critical infrastructure facilities, defense industry production facilities, and the most expensive weapons.
At the G7 meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock spoke about the relevance of this project. It remains to be hoped that moderation and the mathematical approach of the West will accelerate this to the maximum.
