NATO has to pursue an "umbrella" air defense over large cities in western Ukraine - US General

He answered the question in a joint survey of TSN and New Europe Center, which they conducted among European diplomats, experts and the US military. Ryan believes that in addition to "decisive condemnation" there should be specific steps that will finally restore Ukraine's sovereignty and guarantee its freedom. "After all, if Russia is able to deprive Ukraine of these fundamental rights, it will most likely deprive these rights and other neighboring countries," the US Army General said.

He noted that the members of the Alliance should increase the production of weapons and ammunition not only for NATO's own defense, but also for Ukraine, because now it is opposed by the Russian Federation. Official Kyiv clearly voiced its priorities for assistance, and NATO has already done a lot to meet these needs. But in order to balance the defense production of Russia, which is supported by modes such as China, North Korea and Iran, it takes more.

"NATO members must commit to this weapon and ammunition to Ukraine without limiting their use against military goals in Russia. Russia itself is already using weapons and ammunition provided by its supporters," he said. Kevin Ryan emphasized that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation strikes Ukrainian cities from a safe distance from their own border, seeking to erase the borders of Ukraine.

"NATO members should also support the creation of" umbrellas "of air defense over the major cities of the West of Ukraine. Today cities such as Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa and Nikolaev are constantly amenable to Russian rocket attacks and drones of drones that kill hundreds of civilians and destroy important infrastructure" , - said the general.

In his view, the deployment of a friendly ground defense around these cities, far from the front line, could intercept Russian missiles without the risk that the Union forces would kill Russian soldiers. And thousands of Ukrainians would be saved. The US Army General also stressed that NATO should finally accelerate the process of inviting Ukraine to membership. After all, Putin has repeatedly emphasized that the war he began in Ukraine was leading against a collective event.

"Ukraine is leading the first battles of war against us. Ukraine's membership will strengthen NATO and the West from Russia. Any steps in Ukraine's accession to the Alliance will help us all," Kevin Ryan summarized. Earlier, military analysts noted that blows to Russian military and logistics sites in the Belgorod region, probably forced the Russian forces to change transport routes and places of placement of military facilities.