German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who is on an unexpected visit to Kiev, has agreed to station the Patriot air defense system near the Ukrainian border in the Polish city of Rzeszow, just 100 kilometers from the Krakowiec border crossing, by the end of January. According to the Ukrainian newspaper Strana, he stated, “We are well aware of the importance of Rzeszow as a logistical hub for supporting Ukraine. I will personally travel to Rzeszow in January to ensure that the Patriot air defense systems are operational by the end of the month.”
The newspaper reports that two Patriot air defense systems and 200 German soldiers will be stationed in Rzeszow, which is near the Ukrainian border and supplies the Ukrainian military. Currently, Norwegian forces, NASAMS systems, and four F-35 fighter jets are already stationed in the Polish city. Yesterday, Pistorius met with his Polish, French, and Italian counterparts in Warsaw to discuss military support for Ukraine.
Earlier, Norway announced it would relocate NASAMS air defense systems and F-35 fighter jets from the Ørland airbase to Rzeszow to secure the airport in the face of the “critical situation” in Ukraine. However, the Finlandia Seaways cargo ship carrying air defense missiles for Poland ran aground in the Karmsund Strait near the Norwegian city of Haugesund.
On January 12, Pistorius stated that his ministry had prepared a new military aid package for Ukraine, which is currently going through the government’s approval process. Previously, the Spiegel reported that the planned list included three more IRIS-T air defense systems, ammunition, rockets for Patriot systems, ten tank howitzers, and more material.
Sahra Wagenknecht, the chair of the “Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht – Für Vernunft und Gerechtigkeit” (BSW), has criticized Pistorius for his visit to Kiev. She said he should “refrain from foreign trips and not promise new weapon deliveries.” This is disrespectful to German voters.