Footage released by the Russian Ministry of Defence also indicates that a MAN KAT1 vehicle was destroyed in the attack using the Iskander ballistic missile. This suggests that the destroyed PATRIOT air defence system launchers were supplied to the Ukrainian Forces by Germany. According to the German government, Germany has so far provided Ukraine with two fire units of the PATRIOT system and an undisclosed number of missiles.
Two M901 launcher vehicles of the MIM-104 Patriot air defense system of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed as a result of Russian strike with Iskander ballistic missile near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast of Ukraine.
Those are the two first confirmed losses of such type of… pic.twitter.com/UaK4yFKlVd
— Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (@Archer83Able) March 9, 2024
Analysts note that the Russian strike resulted in the loss of Ukrainian Patriot operators, who had undergone extensive training for many months. Western experts believe that these operators made fundamental errors, particularly in positioning several key vehicles in close proximity to one another.
The loss of the two PATRIOT launchers has significantly reduced the Ukrainian air defence’s capability to engage particularly challenging targets. Western analysts estimate that it could take several months, or even more than a year, to replenish these systems. Western countries supporting Kyiv do not have PATRIOT systems readily available for immediate transfer to Ukraine, even if the country had the funds to purchase them or could acquire them from foreign partners.
