German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has announced a new military aid package for Ukraine, which includes the provision of 100 missiles for Patriot air defence systems. Pistorius made this announcement during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as reported by Ukrinform.
The announcement was made during Pistorius and Zelenskyy’s visit to a military base in the federal state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where Ukrainian troops are undergoing training on the Patriot systems.
The German Defence Minister stated that the missiles would be provided as part of a joint initiative by Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway to bolster Ukraine’s air defences. Pistorius noted that following his trip to Odesa at the end of May, he once again recognized the critical importance of air defence capabilities for Ukraine.
“Today, I can announce a further aid package, not as large, but no less important. Especially after seeing firsthand how crucial air defence is for Ukraine’s survival, I am pleased to announce the supply of a significant number of interceptors for Patriot – one hundred in total,” said Pistorius.
He clarified that within this aid package, 32 missiles have already been delivered to Ukrainian air defence forces in recent days, and another 68 will be provided in the coming weeks.
“They will help protect infrastructure and save lives in Ukraine,” Pistorius concluded.
In addition to Patriot missiles, Ukraine will also receive anti-tank weapons, components for artillery ammunition, several thousand strike drones, and anti-drone equipment as part of this package. Handheld weapons, including sniper rifles, will also be provided.
It is worth noting that at the end of May about a new military aid package from Germany worth €500 million. This package included missiles for IRIS-T SLM and IRIS-T SLS air defence systems, drones, infantry fighting vehicles, sniper rifles, spare parts for Leopard tanks, wheeled howitzers, and ammunition for small arms.
Source: The Gaze
