Staff Reports
According to multiple reports, the US is preparing to send a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine. This would allow the country to defend itself against a potential attack.
Due to the increasing number of Iranian drones being used by Russia to target Ukraine's critical infrastructure, the country's officials have been searching for new long-range air defense systems.
Although the US Secretary of Defense has yet to approve the deal, it's believed that the agreement could be finalized as early as this week. The Patriot batteries would then be transported to Ukraine and trained at a US Army facility in Germany. This isn't the first time that the US has provided weapons systems to Ukraine.
Raytheon, the company that makes the Patriot missile system, is one of the most advanced systems in the U.S. Its capabilities include identifying and tracking incoming missiles and aircraft.
During a briefing on Tuesday, Pat Ryder, a spokesperson for Raytheon, refused to provide additional details about the deal. However, he noted that the company is working with Ukraine and its international partners to provide the country with the necessary battlefield capabilities.
As the situation in Ukraine worsens, Raytheon will continue to look into how the country can defend itself against Russia's continued attacks on civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians. Although Pat Ryder wouldn't provide further details about the deal, he noted that the company is still considering the country's needs.
In the last couple of months, Russia has been carrying out numerous attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure using Iranian drones. According to Western officials, these attacks are an attempt to weaponize winter for the country's civilians, who are struggling to get by without electricity, clean water, and heat. Some Western leaders have also accused the country of committing war crimes.
A senior defense official noted last month that the US was considering providing Ukraine with additional Patriot missile systems. He noted that the system was one of the various air defense capabilities that the US was considering.
Antony Blinken, the State Department's secretary of state, also declined to provide details about the potential deal at that time. However, he noted that the US was working with Ukraine to ensure that the country's military forces were trained on the Patriot missiles.
The US has also sent Patriot missiles to Poland as part of its efforts to strengthen the country's defenses. Since Russia invaded Ukraine last February, the US has contributed over $20 billion in aid to the country.
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Washington Examiner.
