The first batteries of the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system arrived in Ukraine.
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak told about this in an interview with the Spanish newspaper La Razon.
"Here I must emphasize that thanks to the efforts of Poland, Patriot batteries or the first Leopard tanks, among other things, reached Ukraine. We are not only the main point of aid transfer, but also one of the largest donors. Since the beginning of the war, we have transferred over €2.2 billion worth of weapons to Ukraine, and this amount does not include the costs we bear for the training of Ukrainian soldiers," noted Blaschak.
A Patriot battery typically consists of a radar, control post, and launchers (up to eight), each carrying four missiles. In January, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov informed that the Americans would train Ukrainian officers to operate the Patriot in 10 weeks.
- On December 21, 2022, the United States informed about a new military aid package for Ukraine, which includes a battery of Patriot air defense systems. In January, it became known that Germany will transfer an additional Patriot battery, the Netherlands — two more Patriot launchers.