The United States has shipped approximately 90 Patriot air defense systems to the Ukrainian Armed Forces amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia. The systems were sourced from the American military’s stockpile located in Israeli territory, as reported by the Virginia-based news agency, Axios.
The delivery of these weapons involved several US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft, which collected the systems from a southern Israeli air base. The aircraft then landed in Rzeszów, Eastern Poland, which serves as the primary hub for military and humanitarian assistance deliveries into Ukraine.
Washington’s plan to send Patriot systems to Kyiv became public in June 2024 as a response to a request from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. At that time, the Ukrainian government indicated it needed enhanced firepower to support its defense, particularly in the eastern Kharkiv region.
Recent updates noted that the donation to Ukraine included parts of the Patriot systems that had been decommissioned by the Israel Defense Forces as of last April. By September 2024, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed a project to send these used systems back to the US for refurbishment prior to their transfer to Ukraine.
In addition to the American shipment, Germany also stationed its own Patriot air defense systems in Rzeszów just days before the US package was delivered. This move aims to further secure the passage of aid and equipment to Ukraine. Berlin plans to couple this ground-based firepower with air policing and in-flight refueling missions in Poland.