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Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said Wednesday that the latest air defense support pledged to Ukraine will “significantly strengthen” its defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced plans to supply new air defenses to Ukraine in a speech opening the NATO summit.
The US, Germany, and Romania will each provide a Patriot battery of their own, while the Netherlands will work with other countries to enable an additional Patriot battery, each country announced in a joint statement. Meanwhile, Italy said it will also provide a SAMP-T long-range air defense system.
In addition to the long-range aerial defense systems, the US and other countries are also providing Ukraine with “dozens” of short- and medium-range systems to help Kyiv intercept Russian drones and missiles. The systems including NASAMS, HAWKs, IRIS T-SLM, IRIS T-SLS and Gepard systems. Canada, Norway, Spain, the UK and other countries will “play an integral role” in providing the systems to Ukraine, while “many other supporters” will provide the interceptor missiles, the statement said.
“This will significantly strengthen our defense,” Umerov wrote. He also thanked numerous countries for providing the systems and interceptors.
“We are grateful to all the countries that have joined the Immediate Air Defense Initiative, which has raised more than $1 billion to support Ukraine’s air defense,” he wrote.