File image.
Germany will supply Ukraine with an additional American-made MIM-104 Patriot long-range air defense system and a €500 million assistance package, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced on May 31.
“Strengthening Ukraine’s air defense remains crucial. Germany is contributing another Patriot system and an additional EUR 500 million. Together, we must maintain our steadfast support and commitment,” the minister said at a meeting of NATO’s foreign ministers in Prague.
The German Defence Ministry first announced the plan to immediately supply Ukraine with an additional Patriot system to help it fend off increased Russian strikes on April 13.
Over a month later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Germany had confirmed the delivery of the air defense system.
“Today, Germany confirmed this system’s delivery to Ukraine, demonstrating once again that it keeps its word of a trustworthy ally. Germany is leading the way in strengthening Ukraine’s air defense, saving Ukrainian lives, and preserving peace in Europe,” Zelensky wrote on the X social network on May 24.
Last year, Ukraine received two Patriot batteries and two launchers from Germany and another battery from the United States with two additional launchers donated by the Netherlands.
The systems supplied to Kiev are said to be a mix of PAC-3 hit-to-kill active missiles to intercept ballistic missiles, with a range of 30-60 kilometers only, and PAC-2 blast fragmentation warhead semi-active missiles to counter aircraft threats with a range of up to 160 kilometers.
On January 24, Kiev forces reportedly used a PAC-2 missile to shoot down a Russian Il-76 military aircraft, killing more than 60 Ukrainian prisoners of war who were aboard.
The Russian military has already destroyed much of Ukraine’s Patriot systems. On the backdrop of these losses, Zelensky recently demanded 25 Patriots to cover all of Ukraine, but his Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that he is for now focused on securing just seven systems to protect only the largest cities in the country.
Greece refused requests to supply any of its Patriot to Ukraine. Spain also refused, but said that it would supply additional missiles to Kiev forces. Meanwhile, Romania said it was open to discussing sending one of its systems. However, a decision is yet to be made.
The additional Patriot system Ukraine will get from Germany, which costs around $1.1 billion, will most likely meet the same fate as the ones supplied to Ukraine before.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
