Israel provides Ukraine with Patriot systems, says ambassador
Photo: Mikhail Brodsky, Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Israel helped Ukraine strengthen its air defense against Russian missiles. This involves the transfer of Patriot air defense systems, states Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Brodsky in an interview with Marichka Dovbenko.
Brodsky noted that in the early 1990s, the Patriot system saved Israel during the first Gulf War when Iraq launched missile strikes on Israeli territory. At that time, the US provided Israel with such air defense systems.
"By the way, these systems are currently in Ukraine. These are Israeli systems that were in service with Israel in the early 1990s. We agreed to transfer them to Ukraine. Unfortunately, this topic has not been discussed much. But when people say that Israel did not provide military assistance, that is not true," the ambassador emphasized.
Patriot systems
Patriot air defense systems are extremely important for Ukraine because they enable the interception of Russian ballistic missiles. These systems can also handle Russian hypersonic Kinzhal missiles.
Last year, rumors appeared in the media that Ukraine and the US were discussing the possible transfer of 8 Patriot systems from Israel. The results of these negotiations were not publicly disclosed.
RBC-Ukraine covered the rumors surrounding this aid to Ukraine in more detail.
Meanwhile, earlier this year, The New York Times reported that Ukraine is expected to receive one Patriot air defense system from Israel this summer.
