Germany responds to Ukraine’s appeals with further Patriot system

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Berlin has responded to Ukraine’s calls for urgent support in fending off increased Russian attacks this week.

On Saturday, the German defence ministry announced it would be delivering one more Patriot air defence system to Ukraine.

Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks and the shortage of defence equipment in Ukraine has been made painfully clear, as we reported earlier.

President Zelensky immediately expressed his gratitude to the German Chancellor Scholz, stating that German support and responsiveness would save “thousands of Ukrainian lives”. Zelensky also revealed that Germany and Ukraine were working together on an additional IRIS-T air defence system and additional missiles for the existing systems.

This day brought a very positive result of our international work. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and I agreed today that Germany will provide Ukraine with an additional Patriot system.

We are also working with Germany on an additional IRIS-T, another powerful air defense system, as… pic.twitter.com/rEvCO1AOvG

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 13, 2024

Russia’s recent strikes have included considerable destruction of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, targets which Russia considers “legitimate” but which Ukraine considers civilian. Several thermal power plants have been destroyed, including the Trypillia plant which supplies the Kyiv, Zhytomyr and Cherkasy areas.

German defence minister Boris Pistorius said that “Russian terror against Ukrainian cities and the country’s infrastructure causes immeasurable suffering,” and his ministry confirmed that the delivery of another Patriot system would be “immediate”.

President Zelensky had visited the Kharkiv region personally earlier this week, to inspect defences in anticipation of Russian attacks:

⚡️President of Ukraine, Volodymyr #Zelensky, visited the #Kharkiv region where he inspected the construction of fortifications.

📹: Volodymyr Zelensky / Telegram pic.twitter.com/9TayYmSsXT

— KyivPost (@KyivPost) April 9, 2024

Sources: Deutsche Welle, Kyiv Independent, X