The United States will send a battery of long-range Patriot surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine, in response to an urgent request from President Volodymyr Zelensky. Recently, the Ukrainian government asked the White House for this type of anti-aircraft weapon to contain the Russian attack, Whether with missiles or drones launched by kamikaze.
Two US officials spoke to reporters on Tuesday, saying they were confident the announcement would be made on Thursday. And those sources indicated that the Patriot missiles, which entered into joint use by the United States during the first Gulf War, will come from the Pentagon’s arsenal and will be transported through a third country, to avoid direct US involvement in the conflict with the Russian regime.
The most advanced system
The Patriot is the most advanced surface-to-air missile system that the United States and its European allies have provided to Ukraine to help fend off Russian airstrikes. Each missile has an effective range of about 70 kilometers and has been sold to a number of US allies, including Spain, Israel and Germany. One US official said that Ukrainian forces could be trained for use in Germany sooner.
The US decision is a direct response to a request made by Zelensky on Monday at a meeting with the Group of Seven regarding missiles, tanks, artillery and other defense systems to counter Russian attacks. More and more bloodyThat left part of the country without electricity and drinking water. A Pentagon spokesperson did not confirm or comment on this information at his press conference on Tuesday.
The White House and generals in the Pentagon have repeatedly said that giving Ukraine additional air defences It’s an American priority, and Patriots have been an option for a while. If Biden has resisted so far, it is because of his intention not to directly involve the United States in the conflict with Russia, a scenario that the president himself referred to as a “world war” a few months ago.
