Spanish defense minister: Ukraine receives Patriot missiles from Madrid
Ukraine has received Patriot anti-aircraft missiles from Madrid, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles announced on May 6, according to the EFE news agency.
Robles confirmed arrival of missiles less than 10 days after promising to deliver them to Kyiv at the Ramstein-format summit. Patriot missiles were sent by Spain in coordination with other allied countries, she said.
"These missiles are designed for air defense, and it should be very clear that they are designed to protect Ukraine from the attacks that it suffers," the minister said while visiting military facilities in the city of Zaragoza, where Ukrainian soldiers are trained.
Media previously reported that Spain would send "a limited number" of Patriot missiles, as the country only has around 50 total in reserve. Robles did not say how many of them Ukraine had received.
Spain's move is among the latest from Western nations responding to calls from Kyiv for more air defenses in the face of escalating Russian missile and drone attacks on cities across Ukraine.
U.S.-made Patriots are highly effective at intercepting Russia's ballistic and cruise missiles. According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine needs 25 Patriots to protect the country from Russian attacks, but Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he is for now focused on securing seven to protect Ukraine's largest cities.
Germany said on April 13 that it would provide Ukraine with one more Patriot air defense system, bringing the total number of Patriots supplied by Germany to three.
Stanislav Storozhenko
