AP: US Preparing to Send Patriot Defense System to Ukraine

WORLD, Dec. 21 (YPA) – The United States is going to send the Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine to shoot down incoming Russian missiles, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.

According to the agency’s information, shipments of this type of weapons will be announced as part of a new package of military assistance to Ukraine.

In addition, Washington intends to hand over to Kiev authorities The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM).

The delivery dates of these systems are still not clearly defined, because the US military has not yet trained Ukrainian forces to use this missile defense system. Ukrainian military personnel are supposed to be trained to use the system at a U.S. military base in Germany and it will take several weeks.

Earlier, CNN, citing unnamed sources, reported that Washington is finalizing plans to supply Patriot systems to Ukraine.

For its part, Russia warns against supplying these weapons to Ukraine, and Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that these complexes will become a legitimate target for the Russian armed forces if Washington hands them over to Kiev.

E.M