Estonia has delivered Mistral man-portable air defense missile systems to Ukraine as part of military assistance.

This was reported by the Estonian Ministry of Defense on the social media X.

These weapons will strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and help shoot down drones and cruise missiles that Russians are constantly attacking.

“The Mistral air defense systems and missiles provided by Estonia have been delivered to Ukraine. We continue to support Ukrainian freedom fighters. Together we can stop Russian aggression,” the statement reads.

The transfer of Mistral MANPADS to Ukraine was announced by the Estonian Ministry of Defense in June.

At the time, it was noted that the military aid package had been designed to maximize Ukraine’s benefits in the fight against the Russian invaders.

The exact number of transferred systems and anti-aircraft missiles is not disclosed for security reasons.

Mistral MANPADS

The Mistral is designed to engage enemy helicopters, airplanes, cruise missiles and drones.

The air defense system consists of a missile in a sealed transport and launch container, a tripod with sighting devices, and a power source. The anti-aircraft missile is equipped with an infrared homing head, which allows it to engage air targets with thermal signatures.

The most modern version of the Mistral 3 system provides interception of a wide range of air targets at distances from 0.5 to 7.5 km and altitudes up to 3 km in difficult weather conditions and at any time of the day.

This air defense system in various modifications is in service with the armed forces and navies of 30 countries.

In March 2024, European missile manufacturer MBDA announced an increase in production rates. In particular, the rate of production of missiles for the Mistral 3 man-portable air defense system will increase fourfold.