Later this week, the Bundeswehr will begin preparations for the transfer of three units of the Patriot air defence system to Poland. According to the German news agency dpa (Deutsche Presse-Agentur), a reconnaissance team is expected to travel to Poland on Tuesday.

The agency reports that the German soldiers are to inspect future positions for the air defence system and then transport three fire units there. Their aim is to protect critical infrastructure on NATO’s eastern flank.

After a missile hit Polish territory near the Ukrainian border in mid-November, the German government offered Poland, a NATO partner, Patriot air defence batteries. Initially there was no agreement to this, with the Polish side suggesting that it would be better to provide the air defence systems to Ukraine. After Germany’s disagreement with such a proposal, the batteries will eventually be transferred to the Lublin Voivodship.

“We decided to have these sets deployed in the Lublin Voivodeship and integrated into the Polish command system. I believe that this is a negotiation success of our part”, assessed Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak on Sunday.

According to the head of the defence ministry, the German side has agreed that the Patriot missile system will be transferred to our country and operate in the Polish command system. The use of the weapon will be decided by the Polish operational commander.

Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak spoke about the details of the location and installation of the German batteries. “Of course, it would be better if those sets were deployed in western Ukraine, for the reason that they could more effectively defend both western Ukraine and eastern Poland”, he assessed.

He reminded that Poland will receive three batteries of the Patriot system. Each of them may contain several launchers.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński