Washington Times quotes Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Director John E. Herbst on Ukraine’s need for US surveillance equipment in its standoff with Russia:
John E. Herbst, who directs the Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council think tank, is a retired career diplomat and ambassador to Ukraine from 2003 to 2006, a pivotal time of a presidential election and subsequent Orange Revolution street protests.
He says new surveillance equipment is “very useful” for two key reasons.
First, Russian troops on the eastern front continue low-intensity military operations against Ukraine.
“Moscow has a huge edge over Kiev in border surveillance technology,” Mr. Herbst said. “This means that Moscow has a better idea of where and how well fortified Ukrainian troops are near the line of contact. That translates into more casualties for Ukrainian forces and fewer for Russian separatist ones. It is certainly in Ukraine’s interest, but also in our interest, to help reverse that equation. Providing better surveillance equipment would help do that.”
Second, Mr. Herbst said, a network of sensors would alert Kiev to Russian troop movements beyond the line of contact, allowing it to see forces flowing into the region.