Axios: Ukraine to receive Patriot missile interceptors from Israel via US mediation
www.pravda.com.ua
Tue, 28 Jan 2025 23:05:27 +0200
The US military has transported around 90 interceptors for Patriot air defence systems from a stockpile in Israel to Poland, from where they will be delivered to Ukraine.
Source Axios, as reported by European Pravda Details The shipment of Patriot missiles from Israel to Ukraine became possible after the Israeli Air Force officially decommissioned one of its systems in April 2024, after over 30 years of service.
Sources from Axios indicate that Ukraine proposed a plan to the US and Israel Israel would return the Patriot missiles to the US, which would refurbish them and then send them to Ukraine.
In September 2024, after months of hesitation due to concerns over Russias reaction, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the plan.
Axios reports that due to this delay, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy allegedly refused to take calls from Netanyahu, who was seeking permission for the annual pilgrimage of Hasidic Jews to the city of Uman.
An Israeli official told Axios that Israel informed Russia of its decision ahead of time, underlining that it was only returning Patriot systems to the US and not transferring weaponry directly to Ukraine.
Recently, US Air Force C17 aircraft arrived at an airport in southern Israel before flying to Rzeszw, Poland, which serves as a logistics hub for delivering weapons to Ukraine.
Sources report that the flights carried approximately 90 Patriot interceptors, which Ukraine can deploy in its existing systems.
The remainder of the equipment, including radar systems, was shipped to the United States for refurbishment.
Background In 2022, Ukraines embassy in Israel officially requested air defence systems to counter Iranian ballistic missiles and attack drones used by Russia.
Israel has publicly declined Ukraines requests for military assistance, citing Moscows influence in Syria, where Israeli forces frequently conduct operations against Iranianlinked groups.
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