Three US defense sources said Tuesday that the US is about to authorize delivering a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine, finally yielding to an urgent request by Ukrainian leaders anxious for more strong weapons to fire down incoming Russian missiles.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin‘s approval is expected later this week, and it may be released as early as Thursday, according to authorities. According to two defense sources, the missile battery will be sourced from the Defense Department and relocated from another country overseas.
Late last month, officials hinted that the system’s implementation was being discussed. A senior defense official stated that all air defense capabilities were “on the table,” before adding, “Patriot is one of the air defense capabilities that is being considered.” The issue at the time was who would furnish it.
The US plan, according to authorities, is to send one Patriot battery. A truck-mounted Patriot battery can accommodate up to eight launchers, each with four missiles.
The entire system, which includes a phased array radar, a control station, computers, and generators, generally takes roughly 90 personnel to operate and maintain; however, the Army claims that just three men are required to fire it.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pushed Western officials to give more modern weapons to aid his country in its conflict with Russia. The Patriot would be the most advanced surface-to-air missile system offered by the West to Ukraine to aid in repelling Russian aerial attacks.
In a video conference on Monday, Zelenskyy told host Germany and other Group of Seven industrial leaders that his country needed long-range missiles, modern tanks, artillery, missile batteries, and other high-tech air defense systems to counter Russian attacks that had knocked out power and water supplies for millions of Ukrainians.
, “Unfortunately, Russia still has an advantage in artillery and missiles.” he admitted. He also stated that safeguarding Ukraine’s energy facilities from Russian missiles and Iranian drones “will be the protection of the whole of Europe, since with these strikes Russia is provoking a humanitarian and migration catastrophe not only for Ukraine but also for the entire E.U.”
The White House and Pentagon have repeatedly stated that arming Ukraine with more air defenses is a top priority, and Patriot missiles have been considered for some time. Officials noted that as winter approached and Russia’s shelling of civilian facilities intensified, the issue became more pressing.
During briefings on Tuesday, Pentagon and State Department officials refused to confirm the intention to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine.
Officials in the United States have resisted at supplying the weapons to Ukraine because they may be interpreted as an escalation that would elicit a response from Moscow. The Patriot also necessitates extensive training, and there were fears that it might be used by US forces. President Joe Biden has categorically stated that the United States will not send combat troops to Ukraine.
Patriot missile systems and other powerful surface-to-air weaponry are in high demand among US allies, notably eastern European countries concerned about being Russia’s next targets. The United States has a limited number of the systems, which it has deployed in recent years around the Middle East and Europe to help allies defend against the threat of incoming ballistic missiles from countries such as Iran.
