Ukraine: How important the German Gepard air defense system really is

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Ukraine continues its counteroffensive against Russian positions. Fighting appears to be concentrated in the region of Zaporizhzhia as well as further north around the town of Bakhmut - with some Ukrainian officials claiming steady gains. At the same time, Ukraine says renewed Russian air strikes have hit civilian targets in several Ukrainian cities. 

Officials say there was a drone attack on the Black Sea hub of Odesa on Thursday morning and Russian missiles targeted the heart of Kherson, damaging an office building there. While the mayor of the central city of Kryvyi Rih reports a drone attack hit two industrial buildings. 

Ukraine's upgraded air defense systems are proving essential as Russia has stepped up its aerial bombardment of critical infrastructure and civilian targets. But air defence is extremely expensive and the supply of ammunition is not endless. One of the pieces of military hardware that Ukraine has received from Western allies is the Gepard, or Cheetah air defense system. They are designed to destroy low-flying targets, and are much cheaper to operate than other air defense systems like the USA-made Patriot. Our correspondent Sonia Phalnikar took a closer look at some Gepards in action on the battlefield. 

Some History:

Ukraine ( Ukrainian: Україна ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine is also bordered by Belarus to the north; by Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; and by Romania and Moldova to the southwest; with a coastline along the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov to the south and southeast. Kyiv city is the nation's capital and largest city, followed by Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Odesa. Ukraine's official language is Ukrainian; Russian is also widely spoken, especially in the east and south.