Israeli Patriot is Already Operating in Ukraine

The Israeli Patriot air defense system is already on combat duty in Ukraine. Two more systems are expected to be delivered in the coming months.

Volodymyr Zelensky announced this.

This system was decommissioned by the Israeli army this year and, after lengthy negotiations, was transferred to Ukraine, according to some reports, having been previously repaired in the United States.

The President also stated that two additional Patriot air defense systems are expected to be delivered this fall, without providing details or the origin of the anti-aircraft systems.

Most likely, these are two batteries promised by the German government, the first components of which began arriving on Ukrainian territory in early September.

“In addition to the ongoing supply of weapons and ammunition, Germany is currently transferring two complete Patriot systems to Ukraine. The first launchers have already been delivered,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated.

The second stage is expected to deliver the remaining components over the next two to three months, which aligns with the President’s words.

Pistorius explained that the Patriot systems had to undergo scheduled maintenance in Germany, but they will be brought to a state of readiness and handed over to Ukraine for immediate use.

The transfer of these systems has been agreed with the United States: in return for the systems transferred to Ukraine, Germany will be the first country to receive the latest Patriot systems. They will be delivered on a fast-track basis at the expense of the German government.

This mechanism was the result of preliminary negotiations between the German federal government and the U.S. administration.

This makes Germany’s transfer to Ukraine the fourth and fifth Patriot systems since the beginning of the Russian invasion, and it ranks first among the donors of these systems, surpassing even the United States.

As of today, Ukraine has already received nine Patriot systems in the form of military aid – the aforementioned system from Israel, three from the United States, three from Germany, one from Romania, and one from the Netherlands.