Patriot systems will help Ukraine in certain areas where Russia is currently using guided bombs dropped from SU-35 aircraft, Yuriy Ihnat, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force Command, has said on the air of the news telethon.
"The result is that we already have Patriot. And we have virtually the entire range of Western weapons that our partners promised us. And to complete the 'puzzle', we also need to add F-16. It is clear that this is expected by the pilots and the whole of Ukraine," he said.
According to him, receiving Patriot systems will help to keep Russian aircraft away from Ukraine's borders.
"The Patriots that have arrived are a significant reinforcement. We know that the system has a much longer range than the S-300, and this will help us in certain areas where the enemy is currently using guided bombs from SU-35 aircraft. We are also waiting for SAMP/T, which is also a longer-range system, and NASAMS, which was promised to us by our Norwegian partners," Ihnat added.
As reported earlier, Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov confirmed the arrival of Patriot air defence systems in Ukraine.
Patriot has a range of up to 150 km against aerodynamic targets. This air defence system will be able to cover both the front line and critical infrastructure. The decision on their placement will be made by Ukraine's top military leadership.