Ukraine's Air Force Commander tests Patriot air-defence system

Wednesday, 26 April 2023, 15:50

Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, has posted a video of the newest addition to the Ukrainian air defence, the Patriot surface-to-air missile system.

Source: Oleshchuk on Telegram

Quote: "From April 2023, the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system is on combat duty in Ukraine! 

Modern Western-produced equipment has its own peculiarities, but our air defenders are actively learning to use it and are ready to destroy the Russian occupiers!

The division commander allowed me to try out the Patriot system. Thank you, Artem, I've been dreaming of doing that for a very long time!"

Details: Oleshchuk thanked all Ukraine’s Western partners, the Ukrainian government and army leadership for supplying the Air Force with something we so desperately needed - a weapon that can counter Russian ballistic missiles.

Mykola Oleshchuk
Photo by the Air Forces of Ukraine

Background: Yurii Ihnat, spokesperson for the Air Forces of Ukraine, reported that a division of the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system has taken up combat duty in Ukraine, while the rest are still being transported.

On 21 April, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, inspected the combat positions of the Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems on one of the fronts.

For reference: A Patriot anti-aircraft missile system division consists of a control point, a radar and rocket launchers (there can be up to eight of them), each equipped with four launch containers with missiles of different types (against ballistic missiles, against aerodynamic targets (planes and helicopters)). 

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