As promised, Ukraine has received a second PATRIOT air defence system from Germany before the end of the year. Missiles for the PATRIOT were also sent with it, the German government announced in its list of military assistance for the country under attack from Russia.
According to the updated list, Ukraine also received another nine Bandvagn tracked all-terrain vehicles and 7,390 rounds of 155 mm artillery shells. Germany has also sent three more mobile remote-controlled mine clearing systems and eight tankers.
Germany has played an important part in ensuring that Ukraine is now better protected against Russian air strikes involving rockets, cruise missiles and drones. Besides the PATRIOTs, the IRIS-T SLM systems and Gepard anti-aircraft guns have proven very effective.
Ukraine is in dire need of strengthening its air defence systems as the Russian Armed Forces have resumed their aerial and missile strikes. On December 14, Russia reportedly conducted its first attack in several weeks, employing at least three Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. At least two of these missiles struck near the Starokostiantyniv airport in the Khmelnytskyi region, and there were also reports of an explosion near the Zhuliany airport in Kyiv (where one of the PATRIOT air defence system batteries is stationed). The Ukrainian Air Force Command has stated that it will not comment on the specific locations hit by the Kinzhals, but its spokesperson, Colonel Yuriy Ihnat, reported that one missile was intercepted by Kyiv’s air defences.
On the night of December 13, Kyiv was targeted with ballistic missiles. According to the Air Force Command, the aggressor used 10 missiles, all of which were successfully intercepted. Officially, the falling debris caused damage to civilian infrastructure and injured 53 people. On the evening of the same day, 6 Russian missiles from S-300 systems reportedly hit the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions.
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