Ukraine gets record air defense supplies in 2025: minister

KIEV, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal said Tuesday that Ukraine received 23 long- and medium-range air defense systems and 11,000 missiles for those systems in 2025, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.

Calling it the largest delivery since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Shmyhal said Ukraine's air defenses had been reinforced with four Patriot systems. He made the remarks in parliament ahead of a vote on his dismissal.

Shmyhal added that substantial efforts were made last year to secure the delivery of Swedish Gripen fighter jets and French Rafale aircraft to Ukraine.

He said that Ukraine received 45 billion U.S. dollars in security assistance from international partners in 2025, a 30 percent increase from 2024. ■