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The United States is sending new Patriot missile systems to support Ukraine. The system is effective, but expensive and limited in coverage. Kiev is asking for at least 10 batteries to defend itself against Russia’s continuous air strikes
US President Donald Trump has announced the deployment of new Patriot missile systems to Ukraine, responding to the urgent appeal of President Volodymyr Zelensky. The decision was welcomed with relief in Kiev, where Russian night-time bombing has reached record levels, with simultaneous drone and missile attacks in numerous regions of the country.
The Patriot – short for Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target – is the US military’s main air defence system. Its most advanced versions are capable of intercepting short-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones at altitudes of up to 15 kilometres and distances of up to 35 kilometres. However, according to analysts, a single battery can cover a limited area of between 100 and 200 square kilometres: too little for a country as large as Ukraine, which has an area of over 603,000 square kilometres.
Each Patriot battery includes 6-8 launchers, a phased array radar, a control station and a power generation station, all installed on mobile vehicles. The cost of a complete battery exceeds $1 billion. The price of a single interceptor can reach $4 million, making it uneconomical to shoot down Russian drones costing a few tens of thousands of dollars.
At present, according to the British group Action on Armed Violence, Kiev has six Patriot batteries: two supplied by the United States, two by Germany, one by Romania and one jointly by Germany and the Netherlands. But Zelensky has already made it clear that at least ten more are needed to protect major cities and critical infrastructure.
To speed up delivery, Washington has proposed that some batteries be transferred directly from European NATO allies and then replaced later by the United States. Currently, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain have Patriot systems in their arsenals.
However, there is growing concern about the depletion of reserves. General James Mingus, deputy chief of staff of the US Army, spoke of a “very stressed” system, referring also to the Patriot unit that protected the Al Udeid airbase in Qatar during an Iranian attack, shooting down 13 out of 14 missiles.
Despite the Patriot’s effectiveness, many experts, including retired General Wesley Clark, warn that air defence alone is not enough. ‘If you really want to stop this, you have to hit the archer, not the arrows,’ Clark told CNN, stressing the need for a broader aid package that can also impact Russia’s offensive capabilities.
Meanwhile, with supplies already on their way, Kiev hopes that the new Patriots will offer vital protection against Moscow’s growing air pressure, at least in the most vulnerable areas of the country.
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