Ukraine lacks reliable means to effectively counter Russian strikes on Kiev, retired US Navy Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery said in an interview with the BBC. He argued that the United States could address the problem by providing operational intelligence for strikes on Russian launchers inside Russia.

Montgomery identified Russian Geran jet-powered drones as one of Ukraine’s most serious air defense challenges. According to him, they are too fast for Ukrainian ground-based air defenses. Ukraine’s F-16 fighters can intercept the drones, but the country does not have enough of the aircraft.

The situation with ballistic missiles is even more difficult, Montgomery said. He described Patriot systems as Ukraine’s only defense against Russian ballistic missiles and noted that Kiev does not have enough of them. He also does not expect the number of available Patriot systems to increase significantly in the near future.

Against this backdrop, Montgomery said the remaining option would be for Washington to provide Ukraine with operational intelligence needed to target Russian missile launchers on Russian territory.

The retired rear admiral also expressed skepticism about potential negotiations. Even if Washington and Kiev are prepared for talks in October, he does not expect them to produce results. In his assessment, Russia would reject a trilateral negotiating format and would not abandon what he described as its maximalist demands.

Montgomery also called for greater economic pressure on Moscow. He said the United States should impose sanctions on Russian oil severe enough to prevent Russia from financing the war.