The German Patriot batteries that strengthen the air defense of NATO's eastern wing will be withdrawn from Poland and Slovakia within months, German news portals reported on Friday based on information from the Ministry of Defense.
The spokesperson of the ministry said that the Polish and Slovak partners were informed about the withdrawal of American-made missile systems and their service personnel, and that they are in constant, close contact so that NATO can properly adapt to the changing circumstances.
According to the report of the national public service radio Deutschlandfunk, among the parties of the coalition forming the federal government - the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Liberals (FDP) - the move is justified by the fact that the current situation, i.e. the threat level of NATO's eastern wing, allows the withdrawal of air defense systems.
IN MARCH 2022, TWO PATRIOT BATTERIES ALONG WITH 300 SOLDIERS FROM THE GERMAN ARMY (BUNDESWEHR) STATION WERE INSTALLED IN SLOVAKIA SHORTLY AFTER THE LAUNCH OF THE RUSSIAN ATTACK AGAINST NEIGHBORING UKRAINE.
Their withdrawal is planned by the end of the year.
Regardless of the operation, Germany will hand over two Mantis-type air defense systems to Slovakia by October, which serve to protect the Ukrainian military vehicle repair station at Mihalovce, located near the Ukrainian border.
THREE GERMAN PATRIOT BATTERIES WITH 350 SOLDIERS WERE INSTALLED IN POLAND IN DECEMBER 2022, A FEW WEEKS AFTER MISSILES ARRIVED FROM UKRAINE, DEFENDING AGAINST RUSSIAN ATTACK, CRASHED AT THE UKRAINIAN BORDER.
According to the plans, all three will be withdrawn as early as June.
The Polish government initially requested that Germany send the Patriot system to Ukraine instead. The German government initially rejected the proposal, but later accepted it, and according to its information on Wednesday, it also gave Ukraine a battery along with the missiles necessary for its use in the past few days.
Source: Origo
Featured image: MTI/EPA-PAP/PAWEL SUPERNAK
