Germany boosts Kyiv’s air defenses – DW – 08/10/2023

Germany said it would send two more Patriot air defense missile systems to Ukraine so it could protect itself from Russian bombards.

“This will definitely bring us closer to creating a full-fledged air shield for Ukraine. This will help people, cities, villages,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address. 

The Patriot system is used to combat enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles, and it is considered one of the most advanced defense systems developed by the United States.

Patriot systems come in fully mobile batteries, including a command center and radar station to detect incoming threats and launchers.

German and US-supplied Patriot air defense missile systems are already being used in Ukraine. 

According to Kyiv, Patriot batteries have intercepted Russian hypersonic missiles several times.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said it downed 11 Ukrainian drones near Sevastopol, the city in Crimea that houses Russia’s Black Sea navy base, the state-owned RIA news agency reported.

“Near the city of Sevastopol, two UAVs were hit by on-duty anti-aircraft defense equipment, another 9 were suppressed by means of electronic warfare and crashed in the Black Sea before reaching the target,” the ministry said.

Russian air defenses also shot down two drones moving toward Moscow, said Sergei Sobyanin, the city’s mayor. 

One drone was downed near the town of Kaluga on the outskirts of Moscow and another over the Central Ring Highway surrounding the Russian capital, the mayor said. 

Russia’s emergency service said an auto repair shop caught fire in Domodedovo outside Moscow.

Videos posted on social media showed billowing show thick black smoke and flames.

Some posts also suggested two explosions were heard before the fire.

The fire comes just a day after Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said a drone was downed in the area. 

Domodedovo Airport, one of Russia’s busiest, had to be closed during that incident. 

mfa/lo (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)