CNN Reports Biden Administration Finalizing Plans To Send Patriot Batteries to Ukraine

Dec. 14, 2022 (EIRNS)—CNN reported yesterday that the Biden administration is finalizing plans to send Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine, and that this could be announced as soon as this week. The Pentagon’s plan still needs to be approved by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin before it is sent to President Joe Biden for his signature, but the approvals are expected, three unnamed officials told the network.

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. 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 U.S. Army base in Grafenwoehr, Germany, officials said.

Unlike the air defense systems that have been sent to Ukraine so far, the Patriot system is much more complex. Each battery requires dozens of troops to operate and typically takes months to train.

Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied “certainly,” when asked by a reporter at the Kremlin today whether Patriot batteries would be legitimate targets once they arrive in Ukraine. “I would refrain from commenting for now, though, because these are just media reports. Nowadays, media reports are an unreliable thing. Let us wait for some official information,” he said.