December 13, 2022

The Pentagon is finalizing plans to send the Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine, according to two U.S. officials, who stressed that shipment has yet to be approved.

Patriot — a sophisticated system designed to shoot down airplanes and missiles — has been at the top of Kyiv’s wish list for months. U.S. officials have been hesitant to sign off on the deal for the expensive missile defense system, citing difficulties in training Ukrainian crews and the complicated technology involved.

But with Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian civilian targets and energy hubs continuing unabated, and existing Ukrainian missile defenses strained by the sheer volume of Russian missile strikes, U.S. officials are reconsidering sending the Patriots. Russian missiles have hit energy stations around the country, plunging Kyiv and other major cities into darkness.

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