Germany handed over the Patriot air defense system to Ukraine

The German government has confirmed the transfer of the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system with ammunition to Ukraine, the agency said in a statement. According to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov, from today "Ukrainian skies are becoming safer", he writes forbes.ua.

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Key facts

• Patriot is manufactured by a division of Raytheon Technologies Corp. and is used by the US and many NATO allies.
• Ukraine also received Zetros trucks and border patrol cars from Germany last week.
• The Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov, confirmed the arrival of Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems in Ukraine.
• "Today, our beautiful Ukrainian sky is becoming safer because the Patriot air defense system has arrived in Ukraine. Our air defense forces mastered them as quickly as they could. And our partners kept their word," he wrote.

Context

On October 11, Germany provided Ukraine with the first of four promised Iris-T SLM air defense systems. The handover took place near the Polish-Ukrainian border. According to the federal government, this weapon is Germany's most advanced air defense system. The Iris-T was developed by the German arms company Diehl Defense.

In November, Germany discussed with its allies Poland's demand to send the Patriot air defense system to Ukraine, writes Reuters. At the same time, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg assumed that the military alliance would not object to such a step. Berlin offered Warsaw the Patriot system to secure its airspace after a missile landed in Poland, killing two people. Later, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak asked Germany to send air defense to Ukraine instead.

In March of this year, the Financial Times reported that Ukraine has already received one of the two Patriot air defense systems promised by the US and Germany, but it has not yet been put into operation. Several Patriot launchers from the Netherlands are also expected.

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