Ukrainian society remains resilient in the face of severe adversity but needs more help from abroad—now and for so long as Russian aggression persists.
Ukraine At a Crossroads
Leaders of civil society organizations, intellectuals and opinion leaders in Ukraine have published a letter urging partners to stand with Ukraine, defend democracy, and protect the innocents caught up in this senseless aggression.
Exercise Artemis Strike is a German-led tactical live fire exercise with live Patriot and Stinger missiles at the NATO Missile Firing Installation in Chania, Greece from Oct. 31-Nov. 09. Over 200 U.S. soldiers and approximately 650 German airmen will be participating in the realistic training within a combined construct, exercise the rigors associated with force projection and educate operators on their air missile defense systems. The 10th Army Air Missile Defense Command will deploy, operate and fire live missiles within a tactical scenario, under Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe operational readiness evaluation criteria.
The letter recalls that on July 8, on the eve of the 75th NATO Summit, Russia attacked Ukraine with dozens of missiles. Around 41 people died, and more than 100 were wounded. Included in the Kremlin’s targets for that day was the Okhmatdyt hospital in downtown Kyiv, where child cancer victims and other sick kids were being treated. This hospital, known as the “Hospital of Last Hope,” is renowned for its specialized care in pediatric oncology, neurosurgery, and genetic diseases, conducting thousands of life-saving surgeries annually.
The decision to target Okhmatdyt was surely deliberate. There have been 1,442 Russian attacks on Ukrainian healthcare facilities since the all-out invasion of 2022. As in Syria, where Russia perfected its practice of hospital targeting, this is simply one more way to terrorize the civilian population.
These attacks constituted a blatant act of terrorism and a clear breach of international treaties that attempt to protect civilians in war zones–the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Geneva Conventions, the Rome Statute, and other norms of international humanitarian law.
Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, Russia has deployed over 5,000 strategic and operational-tactical missiles and over 5,000 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) against Ukraine, alongside approximately 29,000 glide bombs, wreaking havoc on civilian lives and vital infrastructure.
Despite initial sanctions briefly impeding Russian missile production, the Kremlin’s arms industry has swiftly recovered and expanded. Missile production, including ballistic and cruise missiles, has surged by 50% in 2024 compared to last year. Notably, the output of the Iranian-designed Geran-2 drone has doubled, and glide bombs in Russia’s possession have increased by a staggering 260%.
In addition to these atrocities aimed at medical staff and their patients, Russia continues to target critical infrastructure, with approximately two-thirds of Ukraine’s energy-generating capacity now destroyed, damaged, or seized. Such ruthless tactics demand an urgent and robust international response.
Air Defenses for Ukraine are Vital
While securing the delivery of F-16 fighter jets is crucial, Ukraine’s partners need to immediately provide additional Patriot, NASAMS, IRIS-T systems, and other critical air defense systems, along with more SAMs. These defenses are essential to establishing a robust shield against cruise and ballistic missile strikes deep within Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine’s neighbors should consider whether Russian missiles can be intercepted over Ukraine by systems based in NATO countries, as now permitted by bilateral agreement between Ukraine and Poland.
The letter calls on all Western democracies to consider increasing military support for Ukraine to 0.25% of GDP—a small fraction of the 2% that NATO allies are supposed to spend on defense.
Who pays attention to such requests? Many voters in the United States and Europe appear, like Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance, not to care what happens to Ukraine. Some, like the former president himself, might refuse US assistance to any NATO ally that did not pay its share for defense. If Kamala Harris becomes president and MAGA loses its de facto veto power in the Senate and House of Representatives, such hallucinations may stop.
In 2025, GOP isolationists may no longer be able to thwart US efforts to contain and drive back aggression. Meanwhile, the United States should take a more active role in expediting more and better systems to protect the air space above and near to Ukraine.
About the Author: Dr. Walter Clemens
Walter Clemens is Associate, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, Harvard University, and Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Boston University. He wrote Blood Debts: What Do Putin and Xi Owe Their Victims (2023).
