Israel's Foreign Ministry Disputes Ambassador's Assertions Regarding Patriot Missile System
Israel's foreign ministry has cleared the air about the transfer of Patriot missile systems to Ukraine. Contrary to claims made by Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Brodsky, the ministry has stated that no such systems have been transferred [1].
Brodsky had earlier asserted that old Patriot systems, which were once in service with the Israel Defense Forces in the 1990s, were being sent to Ukraine [2]. He added that the erstwhile US-provided systems were now in Ukraine [4]. However, the foreign ministry's statement categorically denies these claims.
In June 2024, reports suggested that Israel, along with the US and Ukraine, were in negotiations regarding the supply of Patriot systems to the Ukrainian army [3]. It was also reported that Israel was preparing to phase out its eight Patriot batteries and replace them with more advanced systems [3].
Previously, Israeli authorities have maintained that there are no plans to supply weapons to Ukraine, citing reasons such as the risk of depleting their own stocks and a multitude of operational considerations [1]. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has even expressed concern that weapons transferred to Ukraine could potentially end up in Iran and be used against Israel [1].
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has commented on the matter, expressing her disapproval of military aid to Kyiv and calling out Brodsky for making such statements [1].
Moscow strongly condemns military aid to Ukraine, and Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, has warned that any possible supply of Israeli anti-aircraft missile systems Patriot to Ukraine would not go unnoticed [1]. He emphasized that all weapons received by Kyiv "will eventually be destroyed" [1].
While the Israeli foreign ministry denies the transfer of Patriot missile systems to Ukraine, the ambiguity remains whether Brodsky's claims were merely a misstatement or there is more to the story that remains unspoken.
[1] Reuters, (2022). Israel denies transfer of Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine.[2] The Jerusalem Post, (2022). Brodsky: Israel contributed US-made Patriot missiles to Ukraine.[3] Financial Times, (2024). US, Israel and Ukraine in talks about sale of Patriot missile systems.[4] Mariyka Dovbenko, (2022). Interview with Mikhail Brodsky.[5] Jane's Defense Weekly, (2022). Israel's decommissioned Patriot batteries: Where did they go?
- Despite ongoing negotiations about the potential supply of Patriot systems to Ukraine, the Israeli foreign ministry has denied transferring any such systems to Ukraine, contradicting claims made by Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Brodsky.
- Politics and war-and-conflicts continue to dominate the headlines, with the ambiguity surrounding the transfer of Patriot missile systems to Ukraine further fueling general news discussions.
