First of Five Patriot Systems Arrived in Ukraine — The Telegraph
Germany has reportedly delivered the first Patriot air defense system to Ukraine under an agreement with the United States. However, the accuracy of this information has been questioned by Militarnyi analysts.
The Telegraph reported that Ukraine had received a German Patriot battery and additional interceptor missiles roughly a week after the U.S. President had announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine on July 13, funded by European countries.
The delivery was reportedly made possible after the U.S. guaranteed rapid replacement by selling new systems to donor countries. According to the Telegraph, the Pentagon and the White House used this offer as an incentive to encourage European governments to send existing air defense stocks to Ukraine, with the promise of later compensation.
Still, for some European nations, transferring Patriot systems remains a sensitive issue, as replacements may not arrive until early 2026.
A researcher from German Aid to Ukraine told Militarnyi that the Telegraph report appeared to be based on a misinterpretation rather than confirmed facts.
“On July 22, about a week after the alleged transfer mentioned by the Telegraph, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said at a press conference that none of the Patriot batteries were on their way to Ukraine,” the researcher said. “The Bundeswehr will only release its systems once they are replaced this year — making a near-term delivery unlikely.”
A day earlier, Pistorius stated that Germany “will facilitate the delivery of the five necessary Patriot systems as soon as possible,” but admitted that the plan still lacked specifics and required further coordination: “We will closely coordinate how to do this with our partners over the next few days,” he said.
Earlier, BILD, citing sources in the German government, reported that Berlin intended to deliver ‘Swiss’ Patriot systems then being manufactured in the U.S. These deliveries were recently postponed, according to official statements.
BILD added that Germany could not spare another Patriot battery, having already sent three out of its twelve systems to Ukraine and deployed two more in Poland to defend Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport.
Three other systems are undergoing modernization and are currently inoperable, while one is reserved for troop training. This leaves only three Patriot batteries currently operational in Germany.
According to BILD, the first ‘Swiss’ Patriot PAC-3 system — financed by the German government — is expected to arrive in Ukraine in six to eight months at the earliest.
