Patriot Missile System’s Arrival in Ukraine Is Near

The arrival of the Patriot air defense system in Ukraine is edging closer. The first group of 65 Ukrainian air defense troops, who had been training on Patriot air defense systems at Fort Sill, Oklahoma since January 15, have returned to Europe. They will soon be trained on the two Patriot systems (one American and one donated by Germany and the Netherlands) that will be deployed in Ukraine in the coming weeks. Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon’s top spokesman, has stated that the Patriot system will add to Ukraine’s air defense capabilities and “shield from Russia’s wanton, brutal attacks on innocent civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

Ukraine aims to acquire 20 Patriot batteries to protect against Russian missiles. Nevertheless, this may not be enough as no other country in the world has been attacked with a similar number of ballistic rockets, said one official.

Although Patriot systems can handle intercepting cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and aircraft, a senior U.S. defense official has emphasized that the system should be put in the context of a layered, integrated air defense approach. Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder did not specify when the Patriots would be delivered to Ukraine, citing operational security concerns. Nonetheless, he expressed strong confidence that the Patriots would arrive on