4.8.22
The Slovak government provided the Ukrainian military with an S-300 air defense system, and the United States is working to fill the void Slovakia now has as a result of its transfer. Prime Minister Eduard Heger announced Friday on social media that his government is helping the Ukrainian military, which he said is “bravely defending its sovereign country. ... It’s our duty to help, not to stay put and be ignorant to the loss of human lives under Russia’s aggression.” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the U.S. European Command will reposition one Patriot missile system to Slovakia, which will be manned by U.S. service members. The crew will arrive in the near future, but the length of its deployment is still under consideration. “This deployment of Patriot capabilities to Slovakia aligns perfectly with our previous efforts to bolster NATO’s defensive capabilities and to demonstrate our collective security requirements under Article 5 of the NATO treaty,” the secretary added. “It complements the NATO multinational battle group in eastern Slovakia, which includes air defense elements from Germany and the Netherlands.”
The U.S. has provided roughly $1.7 billion in military aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded in late February. The aid has included more than 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems, 5,000 Javelin anti-aircraft systems, and 7,000 other anti-armor systems, among other weapons, according to a new fact sheet from the administration. "Now is no time for complacency," President Joe Biden said in a statement. "The Russian military may have failed in its objective of capturing Kyiv, but it continues to inflict horrific acts of brutality on the Ukrainian people. As the Russian military repositions for the next phase of this war, I have directed my Administration to continue to spare no effort to identify and provide to the Ukrainian military the advanced weapons capabilities it needs to defend its country."
Any other nations with the S-300 willing to step up?
