Netherlands supplied 3 Patriot launchers to Ukraine
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The Netherlands has given Ukraine three Patriot missile launchers, following in the footsteps of other Western nations.
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Patriot missile launchers acquired from the US last year are seen deployed in Warsaw, Poland, on February 6, 2023 (AP)
The Netherlands has delivered three Patriot air defense missile systems to Ukraine, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans announced on Thursday.
In a post on X, Brekelmans stated, "The Ukrainians are facing a harsh winter as devastating air raids continue. That is why we have supplied them with three Patriot missile launchers."
Oekraïners gaan een zware winter tegemoet, want de verwoestende luchtaanvallen gaan maar door.
— Ruben Brekelmans (@DefensieMin) November 28, 2024
Daarom leverden we 3 Patriot-lanceerbuizen. Dit redt mensenlevens en beschermt vitale infrastructuur.
Het is en blijft in ons gezamenlijk belang de Russische agressie tegen te houden. pic.twitter.com/J5yEcq3V11
The delivery comes as Ukraine braces for increased aerial assaults during the winter months, which have historically targeted critical infrastructure. The Patriot systems, known for their capability to intercept incoming missiles and aircraft, are expected to bolster Ukraine’s defense against such attacks.
Finland chimes in
Finnish defense technology company Suma Defense announced plans to begin producing drones for Ukraine in the first half of 2025.
The company stated that the new production facility aims to increase the supply of drones used in the Ukraine war while establishing industrial-scale drone manufacturing in Finland and Europe.
Suma Defense is creating a subsidiary named Suma Drones, which will launch a joint venture in Finland with Ukrainian partners. Suma Drones will hold the majority stake in the project.
The Ukrainian firms involved include Kurt, Elf Systems, Sky Assist, and MPS Development, all of which specialize in drone manufacturing.
In addition to drones, Suma Drones will produce unmanned boats and combat vehicles, further expanding its portfolio of advanced defense technologies.
In a similar vein, earlier in July, the United States, Germany, Romania, and the Netherlands announced in a statement at NATO's 75th-anniversary summit in Washington that they are providing Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems.
President Joe Biden described the "historic donation", which includes a new US Patriot system, as part of NATO's efforts to protect Ukraine from Russian air attacks.
Germany and Romania had already confirmed they were sending two Patriot systems each, while the Netherlands mentioned it was assembling one to assist Kiev.
Italy is also contributing a separate missile system.
"The war will end with Ukraine remaining a free and independent country. Russia will not prevail," Biden stated at a ceremony in the same room where NATO's founding treaty was signed in 1949.
"This is a pivotal moment for Europe, for the transatlantic community, and, I might add, for the world," he added.
For use in Russian airspace?
The head of the German Defense Ministry's special staff for Ukraine, Maj. Gen. Christian Freuding, said back in June that he did not rule out the possibility of Kiev using Patriot missile systems to target Russian aviation over Russian territory.
"It is quite possible that Patriot systems will now also be used in the Kharkiv region and over Russia ... They can be applied within the international law. We have great confidence that Ukrainians ... will comply with it," Freuding told German broadcaster ARD.
This follows a recent decision from the United States to lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of US-supplied weapons against targets in Russian territory.
