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Patriot

Ukraine needs 20 batteries of Patriot air defense systems to protect against Russian missiles. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this 29 March 2023 in an interview with The Associated Press. And even this may not be enough, "since no country in the world has been attacked by such a number of ballistic missiles," explained Zelensky. "During most of the war, the Ukrainian military received billions of dollars worth of ammunition and weapons from Western countries. "Zelensky welcomed this help, but said that some of the promised weapons have not yet been delivered," the article says. "We have great solutions for the Patriots, but we don't really have them," Zelenskyy said, referring to the American-made air defense system. Since January, Ukrainian soldiers have been training in the US how to use the Patriot system, but it has not yet been deployed in Ukraine. Zelensky also added that one European country sent another air defense system to Ukraine, but it did not work, and "we had to change it again and again." He did not name the country, writes AP. The Patriot air defense system battery consists of a radar, control point and launchers (up to eight), each of which has four missiles. The price of one battery is about a billion dollars.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy once again called on international partners to provide Ukraine with more Patriot air defense systems. The head of state announced this in an interview on the air of the telethon 06 April 2024. "I won't tell you how many Patriot systems we have. I can say that in order to close Ukraine completely, for the future, it is desirable for Ukraine to have 25 Patriot systems with 6-8 batteries each," Zelenskyi said. The President clarified that he named the number because it is no longer a secret — all Ukraine's partners know about the need. According to the head of state, they even know the points where the relevant systems should stand and operate. Zelenskyi emphasized that Patriot analogues would also be suitable for Ukraine: "There are several in the world, they also work very well."

"Yes, it looks like a large number, but the territory of Ukraine is also very large. Therefore, in order to completely cover our state, even the same regions where it does not arrive or almost arrives, if the question is about it, to completely cover our state, in today's structure, we air defense of Ukraine with all the other systems we have, we need 25 Patriot systems," the president added. On January 2, the then Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny informed that during the massive shelling of Ukraine, the Air Force shot down 10 out of 10 Russian Dagger missiles with the help of the Patriot air defense system .

On April 10th, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba pushed harder to acquire Patriot air defense batteries from Western allies to bolster Ukraine's defense against Russian attacks. Despite receiving some Patriots last year, Ukraine needs more to adequately protect against aerial assaults. Kuleba's intensified efforts come as Western aid, particularly from the US, faces obstacles in Congress. He aimed to secure seven Patriot systems initially to cover major cities and counter Russia's guided air attacks. However, resistance from some countries persists, prompting Kuleba to publicly express frustration, urging NATO to act swiftly. The urgency is underscored by recent Russian strikes on critical infrastructure. With Soviet-era defenses dwindling, Kuleba emphasizes the need for modern weapons like Patriots. While facing diplomatic challenges, Kuleba's resolve strengthens as threats escalate, exemplified by a recent missile scare in Kyiv. He stressed the need for decisive action to confront the reality of ongoing conflict and ensure Ukraine's security.

An AWACS A-50U aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces was shot down in January 2024 using a MIM-104 Patriot air defense system , Rosanna Clemente, assistant chief of staff of the 10th US Army, said 09 June 2024. The officer said that defenders of the Ukrainian state used air ambush tactics (SAMbush). According to her, some air defense systems are used by Ukraine to protect static objects, while others move directly to the front line, ambushing Russian aircraft. In addition, Clemente mentioned the fact that several Su-27s were destroyed in this way, but most likely they meant Su-34 bombers . Let us recall that at that time the prevailing version of the defeat of the A-50U was “friendly fire” from its own air defense system, and the version about the use of the American “Patriot” was the least likely due to its theoretically insufficient range of use.

Ukraine said it shot down a Russian hypersonic missile over Kyiv using newly acquired US-made Patriot defense systems. Ukrainian Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk announced the operation on Telegram on 06 May 2023. He said that a Kinzhal-type ballistic missile was intercepted in an overnight attack on May 4. "I congratulate the Ukrainian people on the historic event. Yes, we shot down the 'unique' Kinzhal," Oleshchuk wrote. The unconfirmed claim would mark the first known case of Ukraine successfully intercepting what's seen as among Moscow's most modern missiles. Russia had previously boasted about the missile's speed and capability.

The German government handed over another military aid package to Ukraine, which includes a Patriot air defence system and missiles. This is the second air defence system transferred to Ukraine from Germany. This was reported 14 December 2023 on the German government’s website. The second Patriot air defense system to arrive in Ukraine from Germany before the end of this month to protect the Ukrainian sky from Russian strikes. This was stated by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz in an address to Bundestag deputies on Wednesday in a "government statement" ahead of the summit of European leaders, reports an Ukrinform correspondent.

Scholz referred to the war Russia has been waging against Ukraine for almost two years a main political and security challenge for the European continent. At the same time, the chancellor emphasized Germany's role in strengthening Ukrainian air defense, which this winter is much more capable to protect the country from Russian missiles and drones. He mentioned the Gepard self-propelled guns, as well as Iris-T and Patriot systems handed over by Germany.

It is worth noting that Ukraine repeatedly called on its allies to transfer long-range Patriot missiles to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in order to minimize losses from massive air strikes by the Russian invaders. For months Ukraine had requested a long-range air-defense system, the U.S.-made Patriot. This system can destroy short-range ballistic missiles, advanced aircraft, and cruise missiles. It was first deployed in the 1980s and is considered one of the most advanced U.S. air-defense systems. The West had been hesitant to provide the Patriot, mostly due to its complicated technology. One battery requires about 90 personnel to operate, so Ukrainian forces would need extensive training. Some governments were also concerned about escalating the conflict further.

When Poland turned down Germany’s offer of two Patriot batteries and suggested sending them to Ukraine instead, the proposal was rejected because the system would have been operated by NATO personnel and would therefore require NATO involvement in Ukraine.

The deployment of Patriot missile defense systems in Ukraine is also beneficial for the security of the southeastern part of Poland. This was announced 27 November 2022 by the Minister of Defense of Poland Mariusz Blaszczak. “It’s all about reaction time. Patriots stationed in eastern Poland will be able to shoot down missiles crossing the Polish border, but the tragic event of November 15 happened just a few kilometers from the Ukrainian border. This rocket flew to Polish territory in a few seconds. This time is not enough to bring it down effectively, ”explained the Polish Minister of Defense.

The second reason in favor of deploying the Patriot missile defense system in Ukraine Blaszczak called the possibility of interpreting the downing of a Russian missile over Ukrainian Polish territory as Poland’s entry into the war. “To shoot down such a missile over Ukrainian territory would mean Poland’s entry into the war, and we don’t want that. Placing a Patriot in western Ukraine enhances the security of both western Ukraine and Poland,” the head of the Allied Defense Ministry emphasized.

The third reason in favor of transferring the Patriot to Kyiv Blaschak called the possibility of a blackout in Ukraine due to a lack of anti-missile systems and, as a result, an increase in Ukrainian refugees to Europe. “Intense rocket attacks on Ukrainian power plants lead to a lack of access to electricity. As a result, in winter they will cause another wave of refugees, and from the point of view of the security of both Ukraine and Poland and all of Europe, it is better that another wave of refugees does not occur, ”he explained.

Fourth, Blaszczak disagreed with the argument that the Patriot was supposedly “too high-tech” for Ukraine. “The German Patriot is an old version, from the 1980s, so it cannot be said that they are technologically advanced … Equipment has already been transferred to Ukraine, much more technologically advanced than the German Patriots — I mean the HIMARS systems,” the Polish Minister of Defense said.

On 13 December 2022, information appeared that the White House is finalizing preparations for sending American Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. It is expected that after the Pentagon and the White House agree on the plan, the SAMs will be delivered as soon as possible. Later, Voice of America Correspondent Karli Babb said that he was allegedly confirmed by the Pentagon to transfer the Patriot systems to Kyiv.

The White House commented 22 December 2022 on information about the possible transfer of Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. Washington is preparing another aid package for the Armed Forces. "I cannot confirm the press reports about the delivery of Patriot to Ukraine. We are always transparent about the packages with weapons that we have sent and will send to Kyiv," said John Kirby, coordinator of strategic communications at the National Security Council at the White House, answering questions about the inclusion air defense systems in the new package of military aid.

On 22 December 2022 the Defense Department announced $1.85 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine, including a Patriot air defense battery and munitions. Patriot will contribute to Ukraine's air defense systems that have been supplied by the U.S. and allies over the last number of months according to DOD. The Patriot is a sophisticated air defense system so training will be required and will take some time, said the senior DOD official.

"Patriot is one of the world's most advanced air defense systems, and it will give Ukraine a critical long-range capability to defend its airspace. It is capable of intercepting cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and aircraft. It's important to put the Patriot battery in context. For air defense, there is no silver bullet. Our goal is to help Ukraine strengthen a layered integrated approach to air defense. … Patriot will complement a range of medium and short-range air defense capabilities that we have provided and the allies have provided in prior donation packages," a senior DOD official said.

Markus Faber, a defense policy representative in the ruling Free Democratic Party of Germany, proposed 22 December 2022 that Chancellor Olaf Scholz provide Ukraine the "outdated" modification of Patriot - PAC-2. According to him, in the coming years Germany will replace this version of the air defense system with new one.

"Zeitenwende means to help with PAC-2. In the coming years, our old PAC-2 will have to be replaced by PAC-2 GEM-T and PAC-3. In Ukraine, before the end of their service life, they can still contribute to air defense against cruise missiles and drones," Faber said. The German politician noted that even such an "outdated" modification" can provide real help against the Kremlin's terror before it is decommissioned.

"Either the democracies of the world win Putin's war of aggression together or lose separately. Help is coming from Estonia and Australia. The assistance from Germany should be of the size corresponding to the size of the fourth largest economy in the world," the Bundestag deputy emphasized.

Weeks after announcing that the U.S. would send one Patriot air defense battery and associated munitions to Ukraine, a Pentagon official said 10 January 2023 Ukrainian soldiers will come to the U.S. to train on the Patriot system so they'll be ready to use it when it's delivered. Fort Sill is home to the schoolhouse where the Army trains its soldiers and service members from allied and partner nations on using the Patriot system. Now, Ukrainian soldiers will train there, as well.

"Training for Ukrainian forces on the Patriot air defense system will begin as soon as next week at Fort Sill, Oklahoma," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said. "The training will prepare approximately 90 to 100 Ukrainian soldiers to operate, maintain and sustain the defensive system over a training course expected to last several months." In the past few months, the Russians had increased their aerial bombardment of Ukraine, Ryder said, and the Patriot will help the Ukrainians stand up to that assault.

"The Patriot will contribute to the air defense capabilities that Ukraine already has," he said. "It's something that will enable them to take down ... ballistic missiles, adversary aircraft; [it's] really up to them on how they employ it. But this is part of a broader effort by the United States and the international community to provide Ukraine with the air defense capabilities that it needs to defend its population and its armed forces."

Ryder said training for those Ukrainian soldiers will include classroom work, hands-on training with the Patriot systems, as well as a simulation lab. It will also focus on what the Ukrainians will need once they are back home. "The training will be tailored to provide relevant tactics, techniques and procedures based on the battlefield conditions in Ukraine to enable them to employ that to maximum effect once they are back in Ukraine," Ryder said.

The Ukrainian military will complete Patriot systems training in the United States in a few weeks. Borys Kremenetskyi, Ukraine’s defense attaché in the U.S., stated this 02 February 2023. They master modern missile systems under the accelerated program in the United States. “It’s about weeks, I can’t be more specific… It’s been almost a month since they came here. Usually, if you start teaching from scratch, the training period can take from several months to a year,” said the attaché. Tthe Pentagon said that their training with the modern air defense system would last for several months. However, according to Boris Kremenetsky, the terms were reduced due to the fact that the Ukrainian military was more experienced than it was expected.

“The program is really reduced compared to how other specialists are taught, and the reason is one: we send on training those specialists who have experience with air defense systems, they know the basics of air defense, that is, they do not need to be trained in basic elements,” the attaché noted. About a hundred Ukrainian troops, who will train to operate and maintain Patriot air defence systems, had already arrived at the base in Oklahoma.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba reported 19 January 2023 on the progress in negotiations on Ukraine receiving additional batteries of Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems. "It took us two years to get approval to ship Patriot SAMs and it took us less than a month to get three Patriot batteries from the United States, Germany and the Netherlands. And we're working on more. And I'm sure we'll have more because that we had success in several discussions on this topic," Kuleba said during a video statement at Ukraine House in Davos (Switzerland).

"We see how things are gaining momentum. And this is what President Zelensky spoke about in Davos: all the decisions you make are excellent, but you must speed up their adoption," he said. The minister said when decisions on Ukraine's receiving long-range missiles and bombers are unblocked, a list of the most needed weapons will be drawn up.

The lower house of the Dutch parliament Jan 19, 2023 supported the provision of Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine. Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte announced on Tuesday during his visit to US President Joe Biden that the Netherlands plans to hand over Patriot to Ukraine along with the United States and Germany. Rutte said that the agreements are yet to be confirmed but they are at an advanced stage. Therefore, it is not yet clear how exactly the Cabinet of Ministers will act, but the vast majority of the Parliament agrees on this plan. In addition to the government parties, a large part of the opposition also supports the plan of the government.

"People's Party for Freedom and Democracy" (VVD) MP, Peter Valstar, mentioned the recent rocket attack on a residential building in Dnipro, which resulted in 46 deaths: "Ukraine must defend itself against missiles from Russia. Patriot could play a significant part in this matter." The MP from the opposition "Socialist Party" Jasper van Dijk does not object Patriot deliveries. "Ukraine has the right to defend itself. Russia is attacking the country in an incredibly cowardly way," he said. Members of Parliament question whether the Netherlands has enough of these systems to protect its own airspace. The Netherlands currently had four Patriot systems, each consisting of a radar, a fire control center, and multiple launchers.

The Netherlands will hand over two launchers of the Patriot anti-aircraft missile complex to Ukraine. Ukraine will also send missiles to these installations. 65 Dutch servicemen will train about 200 soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system, according to a letter from the Minister of Defense of the Netherlands, Kaisa Ollongren, to the House of Representatives.

Poland's purchase of two MIM-104 Patriot batteries manufactured by the American company Raytheon is part of a wider package of deals within the Wisla air defense program of the Polish army. The estimated cost of the batteries is about 4.2 billion euros. "Patriot launchers, which will be located at Warsaw's Bemowo military airfield, will play a decisive role in the training of Polish air defense forces, " said Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak 07 February 2023. The Polish government signed a contract for two Patriot batteries with more than 200 missiles in 2018. The first battery arrived in the country at the end of 2022, and the second is expected to be delivered this year.

The U.S. military is yet to give an exact date for the shipment of the first Patriot air defense (AD) battery that the U.S. has promised to provide to Ukraine, but the system could appear in the country soon. This was announced on 08 March 2023 by Assistant Secretary of the Army (Army) for Procurement, Logistics and Technology Douglas Bush during an online conference organized by the weekly Defense News. "I can't give an exact date, but preparations are already in full swing," Bush said. will work there (in Ukraine - ed note) very soon." According to him, the Americans found a way to train Ukrainian specialists at the complexes, "who were not in the operational units."

The Kh-47M2 Kinzhal (NATO reporting name "Killjoy") is a Russian nuclear-capable hypersonic ballistic missile that has a range of more than 2,000 km (1,200 miles). The Kh-47 is capable of traveling at least five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5, which is the definition of hypersonic. The Kinzhal's speed helps it to remain invulnerable to enemy air missile defense systems.

Armed Forces of Ukraine successfully intercepted the Russian "hypersonic" Kh-47 "Kynzhal" missile for the first time around 02:40 on May 4 in the sky over Kyiv. The Kyiv City Military Administration officially announced the attack on Kyiv that night, noting that in addition to the Shahed kamikaze drones, the attack also included missiles - "probably of the ballistic type."

The Defense Express publication reported that the "wreckage shows that it suffered a puncture wound, which allows us to estimate the thickness of the material that is needed to withstand the high temperature during acceleration to hypersonic speed. And it also indicates that the interception was quite effective with the destruction of the combat unit while still in the air. The powerful explosion heard by the people of Kyiv on the night of May 4 is related to this."

After initially drawing a veil, over earlier claims that they had brought down a Russian hypersonic missile, Ukraine finally confirmed that they had done so. Ukraine claimed it has shot down a Russian hypersonic missile and suggested a U.S. Patriot air-defense missile system was used to do it. Writing on Telegram on May 6 , Mykola Oleshchuk, the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, said: “Yes, we have intercepted the ‘unmatched’ Kinzhal,’” adding the word “Patriot” and an emoji of the Ukrainian flag. "Congratulations to the Ukrainian people on a historic event! Yes, we knocked down the "unparalleled" Dagger! It happened during the night attack on May 4 in the sky of Kyiv region. The Kh-47 missile was launched by a MiG-31K from the territory of Russia," Oleschuk said. "And one more thing, you don't need to run, as they say in Ukraine: ahead of your father to hell, make public information that the enemy can use in advance! We will definitely report what, where, with what, and when it was shot down! All in good time," added the lieutenant general.

“They said that the Patriot is an outdated American weapon, and Russian weapons are the best in the world,” Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said on Ukraine’s Channel 24 TV. “Well, there is confirmation that it effectively works against even a super hypersonic missile.” Ihnat gleefully added, it must be “a slap in the face for Russia.”

It is impossible to shoot down the Russian hypersonic Kinzhal ballistic missile with the US-made surface-to-air missile (SAM) Patriot MIM-104 system, Moscow-based military expert Alexey Leonkov told Sputnik, debunking Kiev's recent claims. He explained that the SAM’s radar cannot track the Kinzhal due to a speed limit for the intercepted target of up to Mach 3. "When they [Ukraine] use a head-on Patriot missile, they cannot give target designation to anything that flies faster [than Mach 3]. In case of a Patriot missile flying in pursuit of the Kinzhal, the interceptor should fly at least 1.5 times faster than the Russian hypersonic missile,” the expert pointed out.

He suggested that a recent media report about a Patriot system allegedly downing a Kinzhal had emerged due to a lack of results from work of the Patriots, which were earlier supplied to Kiev as part of Washington’s military assistance.

Leonkov’s remarks came after the Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yury Ignat admitted that his country’s combat arsenal was not enough to counter the Kinzhal missiles. “There are few weapons in the Ukrainian arsenal capable of shooting down the Kh-47 Kinzhal missile. The Patriot has never worked with such a type of target as the Kh-47, which is why it’s too early to rejoice,” he said in a nod to reports about the alleged downing of the Russian hypersonic missile by the US-made SAM.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexey Reznikov did not think twice about commenting on the reports as he tweeted: “Thanks to the US Patriot air defense system, a Russian Kinzhal missile had been shot down”. He went even further by claiming that "with the support of our friends, the impossible becomes possible," an apparent reference to the US’ military assistance to Ukraine.

Ukraine routinely exaggerates the effectiveness of its anti-aircraft defenses, primarily ‘intercepting’ incoming Russian munitions only with public statements, Shoigu told RIA Novosti 16 May 2023. “I have already said that, and I will repeat it again. We have not launched as many Kinzhals as they allegedly shoot down every time with their statements. Moreover, the number of these ‘Ukrainian interceptions’ – and who really mans the American [anti-aircraft] complexes there, is still a big question – is three times as high as what we actually launch,” Shoigu stated.

Ukraine was subjected to a new missile and suicide drone barrage overnight 16 May 2023, with Kiev seeing particularly intense activity by Ukrainian anti-aircraft defenses, footage circulating online suggests. Moscow and Kiev provided drastically different accounts of what happened. Ukraine claimed that it had shot down six state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles over the capital, as well as other incoming projectiles, using a US-made Patriot air defense system. The Russian military, however, said the battery was hit by a Kinzhal missile.

A poor-quality video of night city depicts at least missile launches in less than two and a half minutes, claimed to be 30 Patriot anti-aircraft mi. Most of the ammunition goes up, but two are deflected and fly away somewhere into a residential area. At the end of the video, several powerful explosions occur where the rockets were launched from.

The blow was delivered by a high-speed MiG-31K fighter-interceptor, the regular and so far the only carrier of hypersonic aeroballistic missiles. However, this was preceded by a large-scale operation of the Aerospace Forces and the Navy, which overloaded the Ukrainian air defense with Geraniums, Calibers and decoys. When the "Dagger" came into play, the battery was supposedly on recharge and was virtually defenseless.

Moscow-based military expert Alexey Leonkov was cited by Russian media as saying that the MIM-104 used all the ammunition in an attempt to shoot down the Kinzhal. He singled out a total of 32 Patriot missile interceptors that were fired from the SAM’s eight launchers in a bid to down the Kinzhal, but to no avail. "As a result, the Russian hypersonic missile destroyed the heart of the Patriot – a radar and a control center, something that has turned the SAM into a useless piece of military hardware. […] 32 missiles are a very massive round. The fact that the Patriot fired all those interceptors at the Kinzhal indicates the system's complete inefficiency in relation to the Russian hypersonic complex," Leonkov said. He added that the 32 interceptors being launched by the Patriot crew were "a gesture of desperation rather than the actions of professionals." Incidentally, launching one Patriot interceptor is worth a whopping three million dollars.

Moscow-based international relations and security analyst Mark Sleboda told Sputnik that “there may have been more than one [Kinzhal] impact” on the Patriot. "Your saw the Patriot blow its load. And then a few seconds later, right where those missiles were coming from, you see the boom, the big flash of light filling the Kiev night sky. And it appears that it were parts of the [MIM-104] battery that were damaged or destroyed. We don't know exactly, but it seems pretty clear that it was a hit," Sleboda pointed out, referring to the video of the Kinzhal strike.

The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced in a statement on 16 May 2023 that a Patriot system had been hit by the Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missile in Kiev. The Kinzhal was launched as the Russian armed forces conducted “a combined attack with long-range precision-guided air- and sea-based weapons against the AFU [Armed Forces of Ukraine] units, as well as depots of ammunition, weapons and military equipment supplied by Western countries” to Kiev, according to the statement. "According to verified information, as a result of a strike by the Kinzhal hypersonic missile system in the city of Kiev a multifunctional radar station, as well as five launchers of the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system manufactured by the United States were hit and completely destroyed on May 16, 2023," the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Washington was still assessing to what degree the US-made Patriot surface-to-air missile (SAM) system was damaged following a Russian missile barrage in and around Kiev on 16 May 2023, CNN quoted an unnamed White House source as saying. The source argued that the SAM is thought to have been damaged, but not destroyed, as the result of the missile strike. The American news network reported in this regard that “it is unclear which of those systems was potentially damaged, but taking one out of commission – even for a short period – could affect Ukraine’s ability to defend Kiev amid intensifying Russian missile attacks.”

By one account, the damage to Patriot was caused by flying roof tiles from nearby impacts, all now repaired. Lesson learned is to site such delicate systems away from buildings and other sources of debris rather than the understandable instinct to shelter in dense terrain.