German Defense Ministry: the first Patriot air defense system arrived in Ukraine.
Germany agreed to transfer one Patriot system to Kyiv in early January, following the United States. The website of the German Bundeswehr says that Patriot and missiles for the system have already arrived in Ukraine.
Germany handed over the first Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, it has already arrived in the country, according to the website of the Bundeswehr.
“The following types of weapons arrived in Ukraine: the Patriot air defense system and missiles, 76 Mercedes-Benz Zetros trucks (previously 60), 124 border guard vehicles (previously 122),” the German Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The United States announced the decision to supply Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine in December 2022, after the visit of President Volodymyr Zelensky to the country. Kiev called the US decision to transfer these systems a “psychological turning point”, which made it possible to discuss the supply of these systems with other countries.
In Berlin, the decision to transfer one Patriot system to Ukraine was announced in early January. In the middle of the same month, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte also announced his intention to join Washington and Berlin in supplying these systems .
The Financial Times wrote about Ukraine receiving one of the promised Patriot complexes on March 10th. According to the newspaper, the system had not yet been put into operation at that time.
The Kremlin stated that the supply of air defense systems would make “the conflict longer and more painful for the Ukrainian side”, but would not affect the “goal setting and final result” of the special operation. President Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that Russian troops would “click” American Patriots.
Source: RBC
