Germany to start moving Patriot systems to Poland next week – Spiegel
Patriot air defense systems (Photo:MissGarfield/Flickr)
The German armed forces will begin moving the first two of the three promised batteries of Patriot air defense systems from Germany to Poland on Jan. 23, German news magazine Der Spiegel has reported.
The publication notes that the Bundeswehr's goal is to help protect Polish airspace and strengthen NATO's eastern flank.
"The installation begins in Gnoien, Rostock district," Der Spiegel writes.
“The anti-aircraft systems are to move to operational positions near the city of Zamość in southeastern Poland. From there, it is about 60 kilometers to the Ukrainian border and 110 kilometers to the Ukrainian city of Lviv.”
The Patriot system is designed to protect an important transshipment point for aid to Ukraine. Bundeswehr troops have been on the ground in Poland since Jan. 16 to ensure the installation of the weapon system components together with Polish partners.
On Jan. 12, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Wojciech Skurkiewicz said that the Patriot would arrive in Poland from Germany in the coming days.
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