Israel dispatches missiles to Ukraine, according to Axios
US planes have delivered approximately 90 Patriot interceptors to Poland for use by Ukraine, a development that Russia has consistently warned against. Read Full Article at RT.com.
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**Russia had warned against the transfer of Patriot interceptors**
Approximately 90 interceptor missiles intended for Patriot air defense systems have been transferred from Israel to Poland, with the intention of forwarding them to Ukraine, according to a report by Axios, citing three anonymous sources.
Following the retirement of US-supplied Patriots by the Israel Defense Forces in April 2024, Kiev requested the missiles. At that time, Moscow cautioned West Jerusalem about potential repercussions, and the request appeared to stall.
“In recent days,” Axios reported, multiple US Air Force C-17 transport planes have transported the missiles from an airbase in southern Israel to Rzeszow, Poland, which serves as NATO's logistics hub for supporting Ukraine.
West Jerusalem notified Moscow about the transfer, claiming it was “only returning the Patriot system to the US” instead of supplying weapons to Ukraine. This information was relayed by an anonymous senior Israeli official, who also noted that this action mirrored the US's transfer of artillery shells from “emergency storage” in Israel to Ukraine two years prior.
Both the Pentagon and the US European Command did not provide comments to Axios regarding the story. As of now, Russia has not officially responded to the situation.
According to Axios, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been unwilling to communicate with Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky “for weeks.” However, this changed in late September when Netanyahu sought Zelensky’s approval for Hasidic pilgrims to travel to Uman, a town south of Kiev where the founder of their movement, Reb Nachman of Bratslav, is interred. Zelensky reportedly refused to authorize the pilgrimage until Netanyahu consented to the transfer of the Patriot missiles, as stated by a Ukrainian official to Axios.
A spokesperson for Netanyahu confirmed to Axios that a Patriot system had been “returned to the US,” but mentioned that “it is not known to us whether it was delivered to Ukraine.” They also contested any link between the Patriots and the Uman pilgrimage.
The missile delivery represents the “most significant” Israeli support for Kiev since the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022. West Jerusalem has previously restricted its assistance to humanitarian aid, fearing possible retaliatory actions from Moscow in Syria or a boost in sophisticated weaponry to Iran, as reported by media sources.
In July, Russia’s envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, cautioned Israel against supplying arms to Kiev, stating that it would “have certain political consequences” and asserting that any weapons sent to Ukraine “will eventually be destroyed,” similar to previous shipments.
Following President Bashar Assad’s regime in Damascus falling to an offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militants in December, Moscow downgraded its military presence in Syria. Israel capitalized on the instability to dismantle much of Syria’s military infrastructure and expand its territory in the Golan Heights. Earlier this month, Russia entered into a “strategic partnership” agreement with Iran.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
Approximately 90 interceptor missiles intended for Patriot air defense systems have been transferred from Israel to Poland, with the intention of forwarding them to Ukraine, according to a report by Axios, citing three anonymous sources.
Following the retirement of US-supplied Patriots by the Israel Defense Forces in April 2024, Kiev requested the missiles. At that time, Moscow cautioned West Jerusalem about potential repercussions, and the request appeared to stall.
“In recent days,” Axios reported, multiple US Air Force C-17 transport planes have transported the missiles from an airbase in southern Israel to Rzeszow, Poland, which serves as NATO's logistics hub for supporting Ukraine.
West Jerusalem notified Moscow about the transfer, claiming it was “only returning the Patriot system to the US” instead of supplying weapons to Ukraine. This information was relayed by an anonymous senior Israeli official, who also noted that this action mirrored the US's transfer of artillery shells from “emergency storage” in Israel to Ukraine two years prior.
Both the Pentagon and the US European Command did not provide comments to Axios regarding the story. As of now, Russia has not officially responded to the situation.
According to Axios, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been unwilling to communicate with Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky “for weeks.” However, this changed in late September when Netanyahu sought Zelensky’s approval for Hasidic pilgrims to travel to Uman, a town south of Kiev where the founder of their movement, Reb Nachman of Bratslav, is interred. Zelensky reportedly refused to authorize the pilgrimage until Netanyahu consented to the transfer of the Patriot missiles, as stated by a Ukrainian official to Axios.
A spokesperson for Netanyahu confirmed to Axios that a Patriot system had been “returned to the US,” but mentioned that “it is not known to us whether it was delivered to Ukraine.” They also contested any link between the Patriots and the Uman pilgrimage.
The missile delivery represents the “most significant” Israeli support for Kiev since the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022. West Jerusalem has previously restricted its assistance to humanitarian aid, fearing possible retaliatory actions from Moscow in Syria or a boost in sophisticated weaponry to Iran, as reported by media sources.
In July, Russia’s envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, cautioned Israel against supplying arms to Kiev, stating that it would “have certain political consequences” and asserting that any weapons sent to Ukraine “will eventually be destroyed,” similar to previous shipments.
Following President Bashar Assad’s regime in Damascus falling to an offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militants in December, Moscow downgraded its military presence in Syria. Israel capitalized on the instability to dismantle much of Syria’s military infrastructure and expand its territory in the Golan Heights. Earlier this month, Russia entered into a “strategic partnership” agreement with Iran.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
