The US and Germany have equipped Ukraine with the Patriot air defense system, according to Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov. Kyiv has only received a limited number of high-level interceptors, but Reznikov nevertheless said that Ukraine had now realized its “dream” in its ongoing conflict with Russia.
Reznikov took to Twitter, posting: “Today, our beautiful Ukrainian sky becomes more secure because Patriot air defense systems have arrived in Ukraine.”
“Our air defenders have mastered them as fast as they could. And our partners have kept their word.” The partners Resnikov alluded to were the US, Germany, and the Netherlands, per Zero Hedge.
Reznikov suggested that the manifestation of the air defense systems was the fulfillment of a dream he was told was impossible, noting a visit to the US in August 2021 where he reportedly said that his country needed “the Patriots.”
However, the amount of military tech Ukraine has received includes two launchers, one from the US and one from Germany. The Netherlands is apparently pitching in through spare parts, according to DW.
Though Ukraine has been equipped with new tech to combat Russia, the Patriot air defense system will not solve all the country’s military weak spots. While the defense system is well-equipped to take down ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and planes, it does not perform well when targeting drones. It has been reported that each Patriot missile costs about $4 million to produce, while drones are very cheap to make.
Zero Hedge reported that the air defense system is only capable of covering limited space from Russian attacks. With the recent development of Germany and the US equipping Ukraine with these military weapons, it is uncertain how Moscow will respond.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently visited Moscow-controlled parts of Ukraine to hear from military commanders. While Ukraine’s Kherson and Luhansk regions have successfully been taken by Russia, Moscow’s winter offensive has not produced the results that they have wanted, which has come at a substantial cost to both sides.
