According to RT, Israel has quietly transferred patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine, marking a remarkable turning point in its military support stance for Kiev. The information was confirmed by the Israeli Ambassador to Kiev - Mr. Mikhail Brodsky - in an interview with journalist Marichka Dovbenko.
The patriot missile system we received from the US is in Ukraine, Brodsky said, adding that US-made patriot systems deployed by Israel since the early 1990s have now been in Ukraine. He emphasized: "We have agreed to transfer them. It is a pity that this has not been widely discussed. But when someone says Israel does not provide military support - that is completely wrong."
Although Israel has previously publicly claimed to provide only humanitarian aid to Ukraine, the patriot transfer shows that the country has actually participated in military support, but cautiously and not publicly. Responding to the rumor that Israel was transferring military equipment through third countries, Mr. Brodsky called it a " sensitive issue" and should not be discussed publicly.
Israel's reservations stem from efforts to maintain good relations with both Ukraine and Russia, in the context of Moscow having military facilities in Syria - Israel's neighbor. The public offering of arms support to Kiev could strain relations between Tel Aviv and Moscow.
In January, the US transferred about 90 patriot missiles from Israel to Poland to continue handing over to Ukraine. After that, an American newspaper said that Kiev would receive a complete patriot system that was deployed in Israel.
Previously, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations - Mr. Vassily Nebenzia - warned that any Israeli decision to transfer patriot to Ukraine would have "political consequences".
Moscow has long criticized the West's sending of weapons to Ukraine, saying it only escalates the conflict and cannot prevent Russia from achieving its set goals. The Kremlin has affirmed that stopping the supply of weapons from the West is a prerequisite to reach a ceasefire.
