Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned the United States on Thursday that if the US plans of delivering Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine are true, this would be “another provocative move” and “could entail possible consequences.”
According to CNN, Russian Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a weekly briefing that the U.S. had “effectively become a party” to the war in Ukraine, following reports that it will provide Kyiv with Patriot surface-to-air missiles.
The transfer of such sophisticated weapons “would mean even broader involvement of military personnel in the hostilities and could entail possible consequences,” Zakharova added, according to CNN.
The US is finalizing plans to send Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine and could announce them as soon as this week, CNN reported on Tuesday.
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According to CNN, the plan to deliver the defense systems needs to be approved by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin before it goes to President Biden for signing.
In October, Biden pledged to continue providing Ukraine with the support needed to defend itself, including advanced air defense systems.
“The United States strongly condemns Russia’s missile strikes today across Ukraine, including in Kyiv. These attacks killed and injured civilians and destroyed targets with no military purpose. They once again demonstrate the utter brutality of Mr. Putin’s illegal war on the Ukrainian people,” said Biden in October.
Biden did not specify which air defense systems were discussed with Zelensky, but the United States previously committed to providing Ukraine with National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems. NASAMS would be capable of engaging Russian cruise missiles.
In the report Tuesday, it did not specify how many missile launchers will be sent, but the Patriots are expected to ship quickly in the coming days, and Ukrainians will be trained to use them at a US Army base in Grafenwoehr, Germany, officials told CNN.
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