Foreign media report destruction of two Ukrainian Patriot systems
International media outlets report that the Russians have destroyed two Patriot systems near the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast. The Armed Forces of Ukraine do not comment on this, while the Institute of the Study of War believes it is not true.
Source: Forbes; ISW; Bild journalist Julian Röpcke on Twitter
Details: It is specified that this is the first time in the two years of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine when the Russians managed to find and destroy a Patriot system.
Julian Röpcke, a Bild journalist, states that the launchers were 10 metres away from one another, and they "were parked for long enough for Russia to launch ballistic missiles on them".
In turn, the Institute of the Study of War at the moment does not confirm the destruction of the Ukrainian Patriots since the Russians had demonstrated the footage of destroyed German MAN KAT1 trucks, which can be used as a base for Patriot air defence missile launchers or in logistics.
Forbes recalls that over the past month, Ukrainian Patriot batteries have shot down as many as a dozen Russian air force fighter-bombers, blunting Russia’s air superiority.
Quote: "Indeed, it’s possible the launchers and crews that Iskander struck this week, 20 miles from the front line, were the very same launchers and crews who shot down many of those Russian jets.
The air over eastern Ukraine may have gotten a lot safer for the Russians."
More details: Forbes calculated that in case this information is confirmed, then the Ukrainians lost up to 13 percent of the entire number of their Patriot launchers in just one attack, and they did not have proper anti-air defence during their movement.
It is stressed that a Patriot easily downs Russian Iskander missiles but it is only possible when the batteries are deployed and on alert, rather than when on the move between positions.
For reference: A MIM-104 Patriot battery consists of a command post, a radar, and up to eight launch vehicles; each of the launch vehicles has 4 launch containers loaded with missiles of various types, such as missiles designed to down hostile ballistic missiles, and the anti-aircraft missiles designed to down planes and helicopters.
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