Germany currently unable to send new Patriot systems to Ukraine – Germany's defence minister

Irina Vakulyuk - 27 January, 02:46

Patriot air defence system. Stock photo: Getty Images

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said that Berlin is currently unable to provide additional Patriot air defence missile systems to Ukraine.

Source: Pistorius at a joint press conference with Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas, as reported by German newspaper Die Zeit

Details: Pistorius urged allies to step up support for Ukraine's air defence, noting that Germany has limited remaining capacity. He stressed that Germany has done a "disproportionately large amount" by transferring more than one-third of its own Patriot systems to Ukraine.

Quote: "There is nothing more we can do at the moment because we ourselves are waiting for replacements [for the systems that have been delivered]."

Details: Pistorius also acknowledged that the number of IRIS-T air defence systems supplied to Ukraine is insufficient.

He said Germany is currently the only country able to provide these systems to Kyiv and does so "in a certain sense on an ongoing basis". However, despite the significant increase in the intensity of Russian attacks, previous deliveries still fall short of Ukraine's needs.

Pistorius appealed to NATO and EU partners, pointing to Kyiv's critical need for ammunition and military equipment. He stressed that the task for all allies now is to jointly review their own stockpiles, particularly those countries that may still have spare capacity to strengthen Ukraine's air defence shield.

For reference. The Patriot system is a surface-to-air missile system designed to defend against ballistic and cruise missiles as well as aircraft. It is equipped with advanced radar capable of detecting and tracking aerial assets at long range and is considered one of the most effective air defence systems in the world.

Background: Ukraine's Defence Ministry reported on 1 January that two additional Patriot air defence systems had entered combat duty to protect Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.

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