Germany has handed over the first Patriot battery to Ukraine along with missiles (for a review of this system by Yuriy Svitlyk, please see our website here). This was reported by the German Ministry of Defence on its website.
This week, the Patriot missile system with missiles, along with 16 Zetros trucks and two additional border patrol vehicles, was included in the category of “delivered” military aid as part of Germany’s $2.41 billion commitment to assist Ukraine.
As of now, this is the first confirmed delivery of a Patriot battery to the Ukrainian military. Earlier, the United States also promised to supply the MIM-104 Patriot air defence system, but the Pentagon again refused to comment on the stage at which the delivery of this weapon is currently underway. “We don’t have any updates on that, and we will let the Ukrainians announce any arrivals when they are ready to do so,” Pentagon officials said.
Recently, Colonel Yuriy Ignat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, said that the Patriot system would arrive in Ukraine after Easter. “When we shoot down the first racist plane, you will know for sure,” he added.
According to the Pentagon, this system will enhance the capabilities of Ukraine’s air defence, but is not a panacea. It is capable of “intercepting cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and aircraft, but it is important to consider these weapons in context,” the Pentagon spokesman said. – “There is no silver bullet for air defence. Our goal is to help Ukraine strengthen a layered, integrated approach to air defence that includes both Ukraine’s own capabilities and standard NATO systems.” Patriot, he said, should complement a number of medium- and short-range air defence systems received from allies.
The delivery of the Patriot system comes at a time when Ukraine is actively preparing for a counter-offensive. Although a single air defence system is not a game changer, it is still a significant enhancement to the country’s ability to defend the most important parts of its sky.
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