Patriot air defence system will not shoot at Shahed drones, but there may be exceptions

Friday, 23 December 2022, 19:35

The Patriot air defence system that Ukraine will receive from the United States will mostly not be used against Iranian drones, but there may be exceptions.

Source: Yurii Ihnat, Spokesman of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on air during national joint 24/7 newscast

Quote: "Of course [Patriot will not be used against Iranian drones – ed.]. I think that in the extreme cases it is possible, because today we have both IRIS-T and NASAMS, which also shot down Shahed drones.

Although Shahed drones have an impressive warhead ten times smaller than a cruise missile, if it hits a very important, critical object, in some vulnerable place, it will cause more damage than if we lose this missile on it. Therefore, if a decision is made to use such complexes against the Shahed drones, it is possible that such a thing will happen.

But the greater purpose of this complex will be to create a certain situation on certain threatening fronts, to drive away enemy aircraft from our borders."

Previously: On Wednesday, 21 December, against the backdrop of a visit of President Zelenskyy to the USA, Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, officially announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine in the amount of US$1.85 billion, which includes the transfer of the Patriot air defence system for the first time ever.

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