Russia: US Patriot systems in Ukraine would be legitimate targets

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The Kremlin sends a stark warning about US Patriot missile defense systems should the US authorize them to be delivered to Kiev.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the US Patriot missile defense systems would "definitely" be a target for Russia.

This comes shortly after two United States officials and a senior administration official revealed that Pentagon is finalizing plans to send the Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine, which could be announced as soon as this week, US media outlets reported on Tuesday.

The plan needs to be approved by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin before it is sent to President Joe Biden for his signature, with the three officials telling CNN that approval is expected.

For months, Kiev has been calling on Washington to send Patriot missiles, which are highly effective at intercepting ballistic and cruise missiles.

In late November, Pentagon Press Secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder said the US has no plans "to provide Patriot batteries to Ukraine but again, we’ll continue to have those discussions." The statement came on the same day that another senior Defense Department official stated that the United States is considering sending Patriot surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine.

Patriot would help secure airspace for NATO in eastern Europe

Should the plan be approved, the Patriot "would be the most effective long-range defensive weapons system sent to the country and officials say it will help secure airspace for NATO nations in eastern Europe," according to CNN.

It pointed out that "it is not clear how many missile launchers will be sent but a typical Patriot battery includes a radar set that detects and tracks targets, computers, power generating equipment, an engagement control station, and up to eight launchers, each holding four ready-to-fire missiles."

The media cited officials as saying that "once the plans are finalized, the Patriots are expected to ship quickly in the coming days and Ukrainians will be trained to use them at a US Army base in Grafenwoehr, Germany."

On that note, the deployment of Patriots and any supporting NATO personnel to Ukraine has received considerable opposition from Moscow, with Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia's Security Council, saying that they would turn into "legitimate targets" for Russian forces.