US transfers Patriot missiles from Israel to Poland for Ukraine's defence

The US military has transferred approximately 90 Patriot air defence interceptors from storage in Israel to Poland this week to bolster Ukraine's air defence capabilities, with plans to deliver them to Ukraine. 

The transfer comes as part of ongoing efforts by the Pentagon to enhance Ukraine’s defence against Russian attacks on its critical infrastructure, Caliber.Az reports, citing American media.

This marks the most substantial weapon delivery from Israel to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began nearly three years ago.

The Patriot missile system, once a cornerstone of Israel's air defence, was officially decommissioned by the Israeli Air Force in April 2024 after over 30 years of service. Following this, most of Israel’s Patriot batteries were either used for training or left in storage.

Ukrainian officials, eager to secure more air defence resources, approached both the U.S. and Israel with a proposal: Israel would return the decommissioned missiles to the U.S. for refurbishment, with the intention of sending them on to Ukraine. However, the deal faced delays due to concerns over potential Russian retaliation, including the possibility of Moscow supplying advanced weaponry to Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, initially reluctant to engage on the matter, finally approved the transfer in late September after negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The transfer involved U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft, which landed at an air base in southern Israel before heading to Rzeszów, Poland, a key hub for transporting weapons into Ukraine. The intercepted missiles, roughly 90 in total, will be integrated into Ukraine's existing Patriot batteries. Additional equipment, including radars and other support gear, will be sent to the U.S. for refurbishment before being delivered to Ukraine.

While Israeli officials have clarified that the transfer of missiles is essentially a return of U.S. property, they have emphasized that this move should not be seen as Israel directly supplying weapons to Ukraine. The Israeli government also ensured that Russia was informed ahead of the operation, reinforcing the stance that this action is similar to previous U.S. transfers of military supplies from Israel to Ukraine.

In related diplomatic news, Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Zelenskyy held talks on January 28, during which they discussed the release of hostages as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal. Zelenskyy tweeted that the conversation also covered ongoing bilateral matters, including the importance of maintaining strong ties with both the U.S. and President Trump.

By Khagan Isayev