US-Made Patriot Guided Missile Systems Arrive in Ukraine; ‘Complex measures’ of Planned Counteroffensive ‘already underway’ in the East; UKR’s Air Force: 10 out of 12 Iranian-Made Shahed Drones Downed Over Odesa Oblast; Patriot systems arrive from the U.S., Germany, and the Netherlands, LIVE UPDATES and MORE

By admin On Apr 22, 2023

US-made Patriot guided missile systems arrive in Ukraine:

American-made Patriot missiles have arrived in Ukraine, the country’s defense minister said Wednesday, providing Kyiv with a long-sought new shield against the Russian airstrikes that have devastated cities and civilian infrastructure.

The U.S. agreed in October to send the surface-to-air systems, which can target aircraft, cruise missiles and shorter-range ballistic missiles such as those that Russia has used to bombard residential areas and the Ukrainian power grid.

“Today, our beautiful Ukrainian sky becomes more secure,” Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said in a tweet.

The missiles are the latest contribution from Western allies, who have also pledged tanks, artillery and some types of fighter jets as Ukraine gears up for an expected counteroffensive.

Reznikov thanked the United States, Germany and the Netherlands, without saying how many missile systems had been delivered or when they arrived.

Ukrainian air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said late Tuesday that delivery of the systems would be a landmark event, allowing Ukrainians to knock out Russian targets at a greater distance.

Germany’s federal government website on Tuesday listed a Patriot system as among the military items delivered within the past week to Ukraine. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock confirmed that to lawmakers Wednesday in Berlin. —>READ MORE HERE

Defense Ministry: ‘Complex measures’ of planned counteroffensive ‘already underway’ in the east

“Complex measures” of Ukraine’s planned counteroffensive are “already underway” in the east, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on national television on April 19, adding that it should not be reduced to specific dates and actions.

According to Maliar, the planned counteroffensive “involves a vast and complex set of actions and measures carried out by the Armed Forces, which includes preparing people for a range of defensive and offensive actions.”

This involves several plans related to preparing equipment and reserves, training, and tactical formation. Several variants of plans exist, and “the plan is finally chosen in such a way that the enemy cannot react,” Maliar said.

The Washington Post reported on April 12 that Ukraine’s planned counteroffensive had been delayed by a number of factors, including weather, slow equipment deliveries, and an insufficient amount of ammunition.

The long-awaited counteroffensive is seen as a critical juncture to take back Ukrainian territory under Russian control, and failure to do so could push Ukrainians to the negotiating table, the Washington Post wrote. —>READ MORE HERE

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