Netherlands supplies Patriot SAM launchers to Ukraine

The Netherlands has supplied Ukraine with three launchers of the Patriot surface-to-air missile system (SAM). This was announced by the kingdom's Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans on 28 November.

According to him, the Ukrainians will face a harsh winter due to air attacks.

"In this regard, we have provided them with three Patriot SAM launchers," he wrote on his page in the social network X (former Twitter).

Earlier, on October 17, the Dutch authorities allowed Ukraine to use F-16 fighter jets to strike military targets on Russian territory. He also pointed out that the Netherlands has always insisted that Ukraine should comply with international law.

Before that, on October 11, the head of the Dutch Defense Ministry said that the country had allocated about €10.4 billion for military support to Ukraine.

On October 6, Brekelmans confirmed that the first of the 24 F-16 aircraft promised by the country had already been delivered to Ukraine. Among other things, the Dutch defense ministry said that the kingdom is a pioneer in the development of drones and is ready to invest €400m in the development of Ukrainian drones.

Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Kiev against the background of Russia's special operation to protect Donbass, which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022, after the situation in the region worsened due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.