NATO, Ukraine set air defense talks

Ambassadors from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Ukraine will hold a special meeting next Wednesday focusing on Kyiv's air defenses which is facing ammunition shortage amid mounting Russian strikes, the alliance said Thursday.

Moscow has over the New Year attacked Ukraine with reportedly 500 missiles and explosive drones, killing 32 people on 29 December.

NATO spokesperson Dylan White said Ukraine requested the meeting and NATO remains committed to bolstering Kyiv's defenses.

Kyiv says the latest attacks underline the need for Western allies to speed up delivery of air defense equipment, combat drones and long-range missiles.

Kyiv's call comes as support from leading NATO power the United States is running dry due to stalemate in the US Congress.

Right-wing Republicans are refusing to authorize new budget outlays for Ukraine military aid if the Democrats don't first agree to sweeping, tough new measures against illegal migration over the US southern border.

More missiles

"The current situation with man-portable air defense systems for mobile air defense groups is that there is enough ammunition to withstand the next few powerful attacks," Sergiy Nayev, commander of the joint forces of the armed forces of Ukraine, told Agence France-Presse while meeting troops outside Kyiv.

"But in the medium and long term, we need help from Western countries to replenish the missile stock," added the lieutenant-general, who oversees mobile air defense units in Kyiv and Ukraine's northern region, which are armed with portable guns rather than larger systems such as Patriots.

"The priority is more ammunition," he said, since the Russians "really want to deplete our air defense system."

"Of course, we would like more missiles for Patriots and the systems themselves," he said, referring to larger US-supplied surface-to-air missile systems that Ukraine says downed 10 Kinzhal ballistic missiles on Tuesday.

POWs swap

Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russia said Wednesday they had exchanged over 200 captive soldiers each, their biggest prisoners of war swap so far.

"More than 200 of our soldiers and civilians have been returned from Russian captivity," Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram, posting a video of uniformed men celebrating.

Moscow's defense ministry said 248 of its servicemen had been returned, and that they were being provided with "medical and psychological assistance."

The United Arab Emirates mediated the POWs swap.