Slovakia Begins Deployment Of Patriot Air Defense System

US Patriot long-range air defense systems (right) and a British Giraffe AMB radar are displayed during the Toburq Legacy 2017 air defense exercise at a military airfield near Siauliai, Lithuania, July 20, 2017. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins

PRAGUE, March 20 – Patriot air defense systems have begun arriving in Slovakia from NATO partner countries and the deployment will continue in the coming days, Slovakia’s defense minister said on Sunday.

The system will be operated by German and Dutch forces and will initially be deployed at Sliac Airport in central Slovakia to help reinforce the defenses of NATO’s eastern flank.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted the alliance to bolster its defenses.

The Patriot system will be part of a new NATO battlegroup in Slovakia, which borders Ukraine.

“I am pleased to confirm that the first units responsible for the deployment of the Patriot air defense system are gradually arriving in Slovakia,” Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad wrote on Facebook.

Nad said the Patriot system would be an addition to, not a replacement for, the Soviet S-300 system operated in Slovakia.

“Temporarily, the system will be deployed at the Sliac air base, areas for further deployment are being discussed … so that the security umbrella covers as much of the territory of Slovakia as possible,” Nad said.

The minister said last week that Slovakia is ready to hand over the S-300 to Ukraine if and when it receives a proper replacement.

On Sunday, he reiterated that Slovakia is seeking its own replacement for the S-300s due to their age, capabilities and dependence on Russia.

Russia warned against any supply of advanced air defense systems to Ukraine and warned that it could target Western arms shipments.

Reporting by Jan Lopatka. Editing by David Clark and Francis Kerry.

Our Standards: Trust Principles.