Ukraine receives German air defense system

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - Ukraine received the German air defense weapon system Iris-T a day after dozens of Russian missile strikes rocked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, the weekly Der Spiegel news magazine reported Tuesday.

The actual transfer of the first of four promised air defense systems of the Iris-T SLM type took place earlier in the day near the Polish-Ukrainian border.

The ground-based flight defense system is intended to protect the civilian population by averting air strikes by the Russian army.

According to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, large cities could also be protected from air strikes.

The Iris-T SLM air defense system consists of three vehicles: a shooting ramp on a military truck with space for eight missiles, a radar vehicle and a management vehicle.

The air defense missiles can meet targets at up to 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) and 40 km (24.8 mi) away. Their range is thus much greater than those of shoulder-based flight defense missiles such as the Stinger flight defense missiles delivered by Germany to Ukraine.

Three more Iris T systems are to be delivered to Ukraine next year. The exact delivery date is still open as the air defense weapons still have to be manufactured.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's series of missile strikes in at least 10 Ukrainian cities has prompted Western allies to speed up the delivery of additional military aid, among them modern defense systems.