US sends dozens of Patriot missiles from Israel to Ukraine - Axios

The news agency claims that in recent days, US Air Force C-17 aircraft have been arriving at an airbase in southern Israel and departing for Rzeszów, Poland. According to unnamed sources cited by Axios, the planes transported around 90 interceptors for the Patriot systems, which will later be delivered to Ukraine.

Journalists remind that in April of last year, the Israeli Air Force decommissioned its Patriot systems. The systems became outdated for the country as it developed its own air defense systems.

According to Axios sources, after the Patriot systems were taken out of service in Israel, Ukrainian officials approached Washington and Tel Aviv with a proposal to send the missiles from Israel to the US for repair and subsequent delivery to Ukraine. For several months, Israel did not respond, fearing that Russia might take retaliatory measures, possibly supplying modern weapons to Iran.

However, as an unnamed Israeli official revealed, at the end of September, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved this initiative.

A senior Israeli official clarified that Israel had informed Russia about this step in advance, emphasizing that it was "only returning the Patriot system to the US" and not supplying weapons to Ukraine.

Patriot for Ukraine

Ukrainian forces are actively using Patriot air defense systems to intercept enemy ballistic missiles.

Interestingly, Patriot systems can even shoot down Russian hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, which the enemy launches using MiG-31K fighter jets.

As a result, missiles for Patriot are constantly being used during large-scale Russian attacks. Ukraine requires continuous replenishment of its stockpiles.

In November of last year, it was reported that the US would send 500 missiles for Patriot and NASAMS to Ukraine.