The US will redirect the Patriot to Ukraine to other countries - Financial Times
The publication informs that three people who know about this decision have said that this step will be announced on Thursday. Last week in Italy, President Joe Biden stated that he has been obliged to supply additional air defense systems to Ukraine. This will include Patriot missile batteries.
Biden said five countries have agreed to send Patriot and other air defense systems to Ukraine, and that other countries waiting for the supply of American systems will have to wait because "everything we have will go to Ukraine until they are satisfied their needs. " Biden also added that Kiev will start receiving more "relatively fast" systems.
The US announcement of air defense systems for Ukraine guarantees that Kiev will receive Patriot systems necessary to protect its cities and critical infrastructure, Financial Times reported two people who know the decision. Poland, Romania, Germany and Italy are among the European countries that have open orders for Patriot systems. In addition, the coalition of NATO countries ordered an additional 1000 missiles in January.
At the same time, Spain, Greece and Romania are in service with Patriot, but refused to allow the transfer of starting systems to Ukraine. Poland stated that its systems protect the infrastructure used to deliver Western weapons across its border to Ukraine. In June, Italy said that another SAMP/T air defense system will send Kiev, which is considered a European alternative to Patriot. The Patriot system produced in the US is the most modern weapon of Washington's air defense weapons.
They consist of a radar system and mobile starting installations that can fire with rockets on shells and aircraft. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called them "the most effective to date with a system of air defense in the world" and stated that they are able to knock down all Russian missiles, including ballistic. Currently, Ukraine has at least four Patriot systems provided by the US and Germany.
The Assistant Chief of Staff of the Anti-Picture and Anti-Rapent Defense Command of the US 10 Army Colonel Rosanna Clement believes that in Kiev is probably about the Patriot Battalion. Recall that despite the concluded agreements, the US has already refused to supply Patriot missiles for Switzerland's air defense. Priority was given to Ukraine. On June 13, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Germany provides 3 Patriot systems for Ukraine, which is a quarter of Berlin's own reserves.