70 Ukrainian soldiers hit Germany for special training

BERLIN – A group of 70 Ukrainian soldiers has arrived in Germany to be trained in the use of the Patriot air defence system, which Berlin is to make available to Ukraine to help fend off Russian aerial attacks.

The group touched down in Germany on Tuesday and training is to start on Thursday, dpa has learned from security sources in Berlin. The German government, after consultations with the US, agreed to transfer a Patriot air defence system to Ukraine last month to support the country as it defends itself from Russian attacks.

Meanwhile, the Patriot units deployed to Poland, which borders Ukraine, reported “initial operational readiness,” according to the Operations Command on Wednesday.

After a missile strike on Polish territory in November, the then defence minister Christine Lambrecht and her Polish counterpart Mariusz Błaszczak agreed that three German Patriot missile defence systems would be deployed to Poland.

German soldiers have been stationed in Poland, a member of the Western defence alliance NATO, since January 16 to ensure the safe delivery of the systems.

The goal of the mission is to protect NATO airspace as well as Polish territory and the country’s infrastructure and population.