Germany begins deploying Patriot air defence items to Poland

GNOIEN, Germany (Reuters) – Germany on Monday dispatched the primary two out of three Patriot air defence items that might be despatched to the Polish city of Zamosc near the Ukrainian border the place they are going to be deployed to stop stray missile strikes.

Two males have been killed by a stray Ukrainian missile that struck the Polish village of Przewodow within the area final November, in an incident that raised fears of the battle in Ukraine spilling over the border.

Because of this, Berlin provided to deploy three of its Patriot items to Poland to assist safe its air house.

Floor-based air defence techniques resembling Raytheon’s Patriot are constructed to intercept incoming missiles.

“One of many the reason why Germany will now assist NATO’s jap flank in Poland with Patriots is definitely as a result of we noticed how rapidly the battle between Russia and Ukraine may spill over to NATO member international locations,” Colonel Joerg Sievers instructed reporters within the jap German city of Gnoien earlier than the Patriots’ departure.

Sievers, who will command the German unit in Poland, underlined the defensive nature of the Patriot system.

“We’re not the one defence forces on the bottom, the British and People are additionally on the bottom,” he mentioned.

“Patriot is a strictly defensive system, and we hope that we will present enough safety there to stop assaults or accidents just like the one in November sooner or later,” he added.

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(Reporting by Oliver Ellrodt and Stefan Remter, writing by Sabine Siebold)