The U.S. has sent dozens of Patriot missiles from Israel to Ukraine, according to Axios.

The American military has begun the transfer of approximately 90 missiles for the Patriot air defense systems from Israel. These are intended for delivery to Ukraine.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing Axios.

The publication claims that in recent days, U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft have been arriving at an airbase in southern Israel and departing for Rzeszów, Poland. According to unnamed sources from Axios, the aircraft transported around 90 interceptors for the Patriot system, which will subsequently be received by Ukraine.

Journalists remind us that in April of last year, the Israeli Air Force decommissioned the Patriot systems. They became obsolete for the country as Israel developed its own air defense systems.

According to Axios sources, after the Patriot systems were retired in Israel, Ukrainian officials reached out to Washington and Tel Aviv with a proposal to send the missiles from Israel to the U.S. for repairs and further dispatch to Ukraine. For several months, Israel did not respond, fearing that Russia might retaliate, potentially supplying advanced weaponry to Iran.

However, as an unnamed Israeli official revealed, at the end of September, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved such an initiative.

A senior Israeli official clarified that Israel had informed Russia in advance about this step and emphasized that it was "only returning the U.S. Patriot system," not supplying weapons to Ukraine.

Patriot for Ukraine

It is worth noting that Ukrainian forces are actively using Patriot air defense systems to intercept enemy ballistic missiles.

Interestingly, the Patriot systems can even intercept Russian hypersonic missiles "Kinzhal," which the enemy launches using MiG-31K fighters.

Thus, missiles for the Patriot systems are continually consumed during large-scale Russian attacks. Ukraine requires constant replenishment of its stockpiles.

In November of last year, it became known that the U.S. would send 500 missiles for Patriot and NASAMS to Ukraine.