Poland agrees to keep Patriot systems near border with Ukraine until end of year

By Nur Asena Erturk

Poland accepted a German proposal to keep the Patriot anti-aircraft systems near its border with war-torn Ukraine through at least the end of 2023.

The Polish Patriot batteries will be integrated with Poland's air and missile defense system, Mariusz Blaszczak told a Polish radio program on Thursday, according to the state-run PAP news agency.

Warsaw last month urged an extension of the deployment of German Patriots near its border with Ukraine through at least the end of the year.

Germany sent Patriots to Poland in January after two people were killed when a Ukrainian missile landed in Poland last November, some nine months into the Ukraine war, now nearly twice that old.

Initially, the German Patriots were only stationed in the eastern city of Zamosc until the end of June.

Patriots (“Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target”) are one of the most modern air defense systems. They can combat enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles from a distance of around 100 kilometers (62 miles).