U.S. to Deploy Patriot Missile Defense System in Slovakia
President Biden said on Friday (April 8) that the U.S. would place a Patriot missile defense system in Slovakia after that country provided a Russian-made S-300 air defense system to Ukraine.
Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger said earlier in the day that his country had sent an S-300 mobile anti-aircraft system to Ukraine (which has an existing supply of such systems but lost a number of them in the course of the war). Slovakia previously said it would ship S-300 systems to Ukraine, provided its NATO allies would backfill them with other weapons.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the missile defense system will be manned by U.S. service members, with both battery and crew expected to arrive in Slovakia “in coming days.”
NATO Member Slovakia Announces Transfer of S-300 Anti-Air System to Ukraine
In a hugely provocative announcement, Slovakia on Friday (April 8) has said the NATO country has donated its S-300 air defense system to Ukraine to “help it defend against Russia’s aggression,” according to a statement from Prime Minister Eduard Heger.
The official Slovakia in NATO Twitter account also confirmed that it is “stepping up its support to Ukraine” by sending the S-300 air defense system to Ukraine, so it can defend itself against ongoing Russian aggression.
Slovakia’s defense ministry even published video of what appears to be a mobile S-300 unit being readied and pulling out of a military base.
➨ zerohedge.com/geopolitical/nato-member-slovakia-announces-transfer-s-300-anti-air-system-ukraine