Germany to start deliveries of two Patriot systems to Ukraine

__________________

BERLIN - Germany said on Friday it will soon start delivering two more US-made Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine, as Kyiv faces a growing number of Russian drone and missile attacks.

After reaching an agreement with the United States, the German military will deliver additional Patriot launchers in the coming days and will supply further components in the next two to three months, the defence ministry said in a statement.

In return, Germany has agreed with the US Defence Department that it will be the "first country" to receive expedited delivery of new-generation Patriot systems.

Berlin currently has nine Patriot systems, having delivered three to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Two of Germany's systems are currently stationed in southeast Poland to protect Rzeszow airport, a transit point for weapons deliveries to Ukraine, with another being used to train Ukrainian soldiers.

Germany has been Ukraine's second-largest supplier of aid after the United States.

Patriots are made by the American aerospace and defence company Raytheon and are considered one of the most effective systems on the market for combatting missiles and drones.

Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Friday's announcement "shows once again that Germany is by far Ukraine's strongest supporter when it comes to air defence".

"Germany is doing the groundwork to quickly meet Ukraine's urgent current needs," he said.

An AFP analysis showed Friday that Russia fired 6,297 long-range drones into Ukraine in July, more than at any time since the invasion began in February 2022.

On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 31 people had been killed and 159 had been wounded in a Russian air strike in Kyiv the previous day.

Five children were among the dead, the youngest two years old.

Pistorius said Friday's announcement "goes together with an appeal to our partners to quickly deliver further systems".

Last week, Zelensky said Ukraine was working to secure funding for 10 Patriot systems following a deal with US President Donald Trump under which European states would buy US weaponry and give it to Kyiv.

Aside from Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden have said they are willing to finance the systems under the deal.