Spain, finally, will send a set of long-range Patriot anti-aircraft interceptor missiles to Ukraine, as confirmed by the Ministry of Defense. The shipment, which will also include ammunition of various types, hospital medicines and individual combat first aid kits, will take place in the coming days.
Strengthening air shields is Ukraine’s top priority in the face of a possible major Russian offensive, planned for the coming months, according to military sources. The Government’s plans did not include sending a complete battery, such as the one that has been deployed on the border between Turkey and Syria for a decade. Pressure from NATO and the EU has not managed to get Spain to send the entire battery, but it will give in with the supply of “a set” of missiles.
Although the head of Defense, Margarita Robles, has not specified the number of missiles – of high economic cost – that will be sent to Ukrainian territory, the minister has referred to the sending “of a set of long-range Patriot anti-aircraft interceptor missiles.” . This was announced by Robles during a new ministerial meeting of the Contact Group for the Defense of Ukraine, in which she participated, by videoconference, along with 24 other partner countries.
At the meeting, which included President Zelensky’s first intervention, he thanked the help provided and pointed out that “this war is everyone’s war, a conflict where help for air defense and artillery is vital.” Likewise, he has emphasized the relevance of training to be able to face the conflict.
In his speech, Robles congratulated Secretary of Defense Austin and Minister Umerov for the agreement reached in the US Congress and Senate to approve an important military aid package for Ukraine. He continued to remind us that the commitment of our countries not only provides the defense systems that Ukraine needs, but also represents an injection of morale and support to the soldiers and the Ukrainian civilian population who live under the permanent threat of drones and missiles. Russians.
Regarding the status of Spanish donations, Robles referred to the shipment the day before yesterday of a set of hospital medicines and individual first aid kits in combat. He also reported the delivery, just yesterday, of a new consignment of artillery ammunition from heavy caliber, which will be followed by other shipments of 155 and 120 mm ammunition. the next few months.
The minister has focused especially on the Spanish contribution to anti-aircraft defense, which constitutes a fundamental concern. In addition, the Spanish aid planned for the next two months includes light and heavy machine guns, protected logistics vehicles on wheels, armored infantry vehicles, anti-tank weapons and field artillery howitzers.
These shipments will be followed by the supply of various anti-aircraft surveillance systems and remote weapons stations for defense against drones, systems that the Spanish defense industry is preparing.
