Air defense
Germany delivers another Patriot system to Ukraine
The Patriot system is intended to help Ukraine defend against air attacks
© Sebastian Gollnow / DPA
The number of Russian air strikes on Ukraine has increased in recent weeks. Now Germany is reacting and providing the war-torn country with another Patriot air defense system.
To strengthen Ukraine in its defense against Russia, the federal government is supplying another Patriot air defense system. The Federal Ministry of Defense announced this on Saturday. It comes from the Bundeswehr and should be handed over immediately.
Ukraine War: Germany delivers third Patriot air defense system
So far, Germany has delivered two Patriot systems to Ukraine. The Defense Ministry said the system had proven itself in the fight against Russian aggression. The delivery should also be seen in the context of the intensive joint efforts by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) to promote more air defense systems for Ukraine to their partners.
“Russian terror against Ukrainian cities and the country’s infrastructure is causing untold suffering,” Pistorius said, according to the statement. It endangers the people’s energy supply and destroys the industrial facilities that are important for the operational readiness of the Ukrainian armed forces. “With our support for Ukraine, we are going as far as we can with regard to our own operational readiness. Even before this decision, I was committed to procuring new ones as quickly as possible and we are working flat out on the replacement,” said Pistorius.
Baerbock: “With another Patriot system we are supporting the people of Ukraine”
Baerbock made similar comments. Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to destroy Ukraine. “Every day its missiles and drones destroy what people need to live. With the continued Patriot system, we stand by the people of Ukraine and strengthen the protective shield over their cities,” she said on Saturday. “And we thereby underline that we take responsibility.” At the beginning of April, Baerbock called for increased international efforts to deliver more air defense systems. “Unfortunately, the stocks, especially our own Patriot systems, are now pretty much exhausted,” said the Green politician at the time.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj has recently repeatedly called for Patriot air defense systems to protect the airspace against Russian missile and drone attacks. In order to seal off the airspace, 25 systems, each with 6 to 8 batteries, are needed, Zelensky said at the beginning of April. “All of our partners know this very well, they