Germany hands over 2 Patriot launchers to Ukraine in latest aid package

August 9, 2023 8:08 pm

• 1 min read

Germany hands over 2 Patriot launchers to Ukraine in latest aid package — The launcher of a Patriot air defense system is set up during the "Resilient Guard 2020" air defense exercise on Oct. 14, 2020 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. (Thomas Frey/picture alliance via Getty Images)

The German government announced on Aug. 9 the hand-over of the latest military aid package to Ukraine, including two Patriot air defense system launchers.

Ukraine operates at least two Patriot systems, one provided by Germany and another by the U.S. Berlin pledged two new launchers during the NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11.

The latest package from Germany further includes 10 BV206 all-terrain vehicles, over 6,500 rounds of 155mm smoke ammunition, four Vector reconnaissance drones, five border protection vehicles, six truck tractor trains with six semi-trailers, and two load-handling trucks.

Berlin also delivered 100 MG5 machine guns, 40,000 first aid kits, explosive ordnance disposal material, binoculars, and safety glasses.

As Russia escalated its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine's south in recent weeks, Ukrainian officials have appealed to the West to provide more batteries of advanced air defense systems, such as Patriots or SAMP/T.

According to Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukraine's Presidential Office, the country needs between 10 to 12 Patriot batteries to protect the whole country.

Martin Fornusek

Senior News Editor

Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.

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