German Patriot air defense system to stay in Poland by June, and by end of year in Slovakia

Germany is planning to redeploy its Patriot air defense systems, currently deployed in Poland and Slovakia for protection of their airspace.

The German Ministry of Defense has made a corresponding statement.

These countries had already been informed of such German plans.

The deployment of German Patriots in Poland is to end in June while the similar agreement in Slovakia will expire by the end of year.

The Ministry of Defense of Germany explained such a decision by the fact that the resources of the Bundeswehr were not unlimited and the military tried to make the best use.

Berlin offered to deploy its Patriot air defense systems in Poland last year to help protect its airspace. Prior to that, in November 2022, during a massive Russian missile attack on Ukrainian cities, one of the missiles fell in a Polish border village killing two people.

In order to help bolster NATO’s eastern flank, Germany sent the first air defense systems to Poland in January, and Patriot air defense systems began arriving in Slovakia last March, shortly after Russia had launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Germany has already transferred the MIM-104 Patriot SAM system and anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine.

The transfer of air defense systems to Ukraine was supposed to take place immediately after the completion of the process of training Ukrainian operators in Germany, which began on February 2.

The training course in mastering the Patriot air defense system for approximately 70 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was held at an accelerated pace: six days a week.

The Ukrainians were working with the control center of the air defense system, learning how to operate the launchers, as well as loading them with anti-aircraft missiles, while also mastering the tracking radar, which is part of the Patriot system.

The servicemen were also being trained in the maintenance and repair of this weapon system.