On 3 October, both Ukraine and Romania confirmed that Romania had delivered a Patriot missile-defense system to Ukraine, according to reports from RFE/RL’s Ukrainian and Romanian services. This delivery comes at a time when Russia is launching daily attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure using missiles, drones, and bombs. In fact, just that morning, Ukraine reported successfully repelling an attack involving over 100 Shahed explosive drones. The previous night, Russian drones targeted the strategically important port of Izmail, which is located near the Romanian border. In response, Romania sent F-16 fighter jets to monitor the situation, highlighting the potential risks for NATO members near Ukraine.
The transfer of the Patriot system was made possible by a bill passed by the Romanian government last month, granting Ukraine the right to use the system for free. The Romanian Defense Ministry has confirmed that the Patriot system has been delivered, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude for the support, stating, “I thank every country that helps us with air defense. A special thanks to Romania for the ‘Patriot’ systems. Together, we can achieve even greater efficiency – we can put an end to Russian terror by jointly taking down ‘Shaheds’ and missiles.”
Constantin Spinu, a spokesman for Romania’s Defense Ministry, also confirmed the delivery, stating, “We confirm that the Patriot system has arrived in Ukraine.” President Zelenskyy has previously stated that Ukraine needs 25 Patriot systems to protect its skies and at least 7 to secure key urban areas. The Patriot system is the only one in Ukraine capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.
This is not the first time that Russia has violated Romanian airspace with its drones. In late September, a Russian drone entered Romanian airspace, and there have been several other incidents of Russian explosive drones crashing near the Ukrainian border. The delivery of the Patriot system to Ukraine is a significant step in strengthening their defense capabilities against Russian aggression.
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