During the massive attack on 9 March, Russian troops were looking for Patriot air defence systems in Ukraine, Natalya Humenyuk, head of the Joint Coordination Press Centre of the Southern Defence Forces of Ukraine, has said on the air of the telethon.
"We understood and expected the accumulation of forces and means, carefully monitored the enemy's actions and realised that wave-like attacks were being prepared. But, let me remind you, we were all prepared for the fact that they would look for new tactics, including counteracting our air defence," the spokeswoman emphasized.
She noted that the Russians first attacked Ukraine with kamikaze drones and then launched attacks with various types of missiles.
"It is quite obvious that the enemy used such tactics in order to claim at least some victories. And to test our readiness to respond to them. The preliminary information that Ukraine is already equipped with Patriot systems played a significant role in this. And they were trying to make sure it was true," she added.
On 7 March, the Ukrainian Air Force did not confirm reports about the delivery of Patriot air defence systems from partners.