Germany to Provide Air Defense Missiles to Poland

Explosion site in the village of Przewod?w, eastern Poland, where two missiles fell, killing two people
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] Germany is expected to support Poland, which recently suffered missile debris damage, with air defense systems such as Patriot missiles.

Christine Lambrecht, Germany's Minister of Defense, stated in an interview with local media published on the 21st (local time), "We have proposed supporting Poland with Eurofighter and Patriot missile systems to secure its airspace."

Mariusz Błaszczak, Poland's Minister of Defense, also confirmed the proposal via Twitter, saying, "In a phone call with the German side, I will propose deploying the Patriot missile system along the border area with Ukraine."

Poland has already deployed U.S.-made Patriot missile batteries for missile interception within its territory, but this is interpreted as an intention to strengthen its air defense network by additionally deploying the support from Germany.

Earlier, on the 15th, Russia launched over 100 missiles across Ukraine, and missiles also fell in eastern Poland, resulting in two deaths. Ukraine claimed these were missiles fired by Russia, but the United States, NATO, and other Western countries have tentatively concluded, based on data from NATO reconnaissance aircraft observing the missile trajectories at the time, that it was a Ukrainian air defense missile that missed its target.

However, separate from this, the need to strengthen the air defense network in Eastern Europe, including Poland, is being raised as similar 'accidents' could recur at any time.