Professor Gerdes Explains

Ukraine Is Building the Missile Shield Russia Fears

June 17, 2026·13 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Ukraine has spent years asking for more missile defense, especially against ballistic threats. But this story is no longer just about what the West might send. It is about what Ukraine is starting to build for itself. In this video, I walk through the emerging missile-defense and strike ecosystem Ukraine is putting together: G7 backing, expanded defense manufacturing, Czech cooperation on engines, the DRAGON air defense system, the ST-100 missile, the balloon-launched DART concept, and the Fire Point / Freya system being developed with German radar integration. This is not just a collection of new weapons. It is the outline of a much larger strategic shift. I also explain why this matters in a bigger sense. Ukraine is moving from aid recipient to security partner. Its wartime innovation is producing systems that may not only help defend Ukraine now, but could shape European security and defense markets after the war. And finally, I contrast all of that with Russia’s Oreshnik problems. While Ukraine is iterating and integrating, Russia may be pushing forward a missile system with significant guidance and quality-control weaknesses. That contrast tells you a great deal about where both countries are headed. Chapters 00:00 Ukraine’s missile defense weakness may not last 01:00 G7 support, Patriot questions, and Ukraine’s own plan 01:41 Europe partnerships and the Czech engine deal 02:27 DRAGON, ST-100, and Ukraine’s new air defense layer 03:20 DART and the stratospheric balloon missile concept 05:06 Fire Point, Freya, and the future ballistic missile shield 08:32 The drone war numbers changing the battlefield 09:43 Why Russia’s Oreshnik may be far weaker than advertised 11:28 Ukraine becomes a security partner, not just a recipient Hashtags #Ukraine #Russia #MissileDefense #BallisticMissiles #AirDefense #NATO #Putin #Zelensky #UkraineWar #DefenseTechnology Facts over noise. Context over headlines. Truth over talking points. Principle over partisanship. ***** To support me as as I provide Ukraine war context: ***** Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ProfessorGerdesExplains Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/professorgerdes Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/professorgerdes YouTube Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/@Professor-Gerdes/membership 🇺🇸 Contact the White House to express your support for Ukraine https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ *****IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE DIRECT AID TO UKRAINE: ***** 🇺🇦 I have partnered with Greg Terry for all donations to Ukraine. He has raised and delivered more than a quarter of a million dollars of aid to date. To directly support this effort of delivering necessary provisions to the front lines, click on these links (and then watch him give your donations to soldiers on the front lines on his channel): https://www.youtube.com/@GregTerryExperience Amazon Shopping List USA/North America (Shop and send to UKRAINE AID c/o Bethel Life's Gift Registry Address) https://a.co/iodWsUK Amazon Shopping List for EU/UK https://www.amazon.de/hz/wishlist/ls/... Direct Link for Financial Giving via our 501(c)(3) Tax-Deductible in the USA https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html Link for Greg's 501(c)(3) EIN Information https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html 🇺🇸 Alternatively, you may choose to donate to Samaritan’s Purse: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/ukraine-response/?utm_source=FY22UkraineResponseVanityURL&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=m_YUKR-22L3&utm_content=Ukraine-Response-Redirect%20%20 🇺🇦 If you wish to support the Ukrainian Army, give directly to United 24. Follow this link: https://u24.gov.ua/ ***BUY SOMETHING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE ***

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