On Tuesday, June 7, the House Armed Services’ Strategic Forces Subcommittee announced plans to impose restrictions on the travel budget for Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks in a move to force her to decide which Pentagon entity is responsible for developing defenses against cruise missiles. This comes after Pentagon officials told lawmakers that Hicks’ inaction was holding back some efforts to employ improved defenses.
On Thursday, June 9, the Pentagon promised that it will soon appoint a lead agency for developing defenses against cruise missiles after the House subcommittee sought to impose restrictions on the budget of the Deputy Defense Secretary. House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee Chairman Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) said the Pentagon has “recently responded” and promised to designate such a lead by the end of July.
Also on Thursday, June 9, President Biden nominated the head of Air Force Global Strike Command, Gen. Anthony Cotton to be the next leader of U.S. Strategic Command (Stratcom). If confirmed by the Senate, Air Force Gen. Anthony Cotton would oversee the command tasked with missile defense, strike capabilities, nuclear operations, and running the Defense Department’s Global Information Grid, among other major tasks. Cotton has long dealt with deterrence and nuclear operations while in the military. Prior to becoming deputy, then head of AFGSC, he commanded the 20th Air Force in Wyoming, responsible for maintaining and operating the Air Force’s intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). He also led the 341st Missile Wing, in charge of the Minuteman III ICBMs at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. In addition, Cotton has served as commander of the 45th Space Wing and as head of Air University.
On Sunday, June 12, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the world via video saying there are already 2606 affirmative answers to the question of whether Ukraine needs modern missile defense systems. Zelenskyy spoke about the Ukrainian's who have died or been injured as a result of indiscriminate artillery and missile strikes during the Russian invasion. He pleaded to the international community saying, "Today is the 109th day of a full-scale war, but it is not the 109th day as we tell our partners a simple thing: Ukraine needs modern missile defense systems. The supply of such systems was possible this year, last year and even earlier. Did we get them? No. Do we need them? Yes. There have already been 2606 affirmative answers to this question in the form of various Russian cruise missiles that have hit Ukrainian cities."
