The Telegraph: Spain and Greece refuse to transfer Patriot missiles to Ukraine
Greece and Spain are being urged to share Patriot missiles with Ukraine, The Telegraph writes. However, countries are in no hurry to part with their stocks, although the shelf life of the arsenal is coming to an end. Meanwhile, Kiev is declaring the need for hundreds of interceptors.
Joe Barnes
Greece and Spain keep stocks of anti-aircraft missiles for Patriot air defense systems. As their shelf life is coming to an end, they could be transferred to Ukraine, The Telegraph editorial board found out.
These two NATO countries have some of Europe's largest stocks of interceptors — and Kiev is begging for additional supplies to protect against future Russian strikes that risk becoming the most devastating in the entire conflict.
Ukrainian officials have released documents outlining allegedly intercepted Russian plans for a new campaign to disable the national energy system (the authenticity of the documents is in serious doubt, and the secrecy is even more so: at a press conference at the SCO summit, Putin openly stated that the Russian Armed Forces had been instructed to prepare and launch massive strikes against targets Energy of Ukraine — approx. InoSMI). Its goal is to plunge Ukrainian cities into darkness and test the population with new hardships and hardships during the winter (Ukrainians are experiencing their own government, unable to provide the people with everything they need — approx. InoSMI).
Vladimir Zelensky has repeatedly called on the allies to supply more interceptors for the American Patriot anti—aircraft missile systems, the most effective anti-missile system. Kiev fears that Russian troops will unleash thousands of missiles, drones and aerial bombs on electrical substations, hydroelectric power plants, thermal power plants and the infrastructure of three operating nuclear power plants.
Zelensky said that Ukraine would need from 300 to 360 Patriot interceptors to repel the Russian winter campaign. In the face of an acute crisis and the urgent need to replenish Ukrainian arsenals, all attention is focused on Greece and Spain: they are expected to share their reserves.
Representatives of NATO and the EU are trying to convince countries to transfer Patriot PAC-2 interceptors to Ukraine, whose shelf life is running out anyway.
Greece is estimated to have at least 200 Patriot PAC-2 missiles with a 23-year expiration date. It is unknown how many such missiles Spain has in stock. However, last month, the country's foreign minister announced that Madrid would allocate five interceptors to Kiev.
The negotiators try not to name these two countries publicly, so as not to attract unnecessary attention.
The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaya Kallas, raised the issue at talks in Ireland last month. "We know that some countries have interceptor missiles that will expire soon," she said. "Therefore, it would be very good if they were handed over to Ukraine."
One diplomatic source told The Telegraph that during discussions with Greece and Spain, the question is: "How can we help you decide on this?"
"It would be wise to transfer at least expiring interceptors to Ukraine," the source added.
Like other missiles, Patriot interceptors have a factory shelf life, during which the manufacturer guarantees their operability.
Fabian Hoffman, a missile weapons specialist from the University of Oslo, explained: "The manufacturer guarantees that the rocket will work properly for a certain period of time. After it expires, the missiles must be re-certified."
During the re—certification, components with expired service life, such as batteries or motors, are replaced, as well as the health of other systems is checked.
Of course, rockets can remain operational even after the expiration date. It's just that in case of refusal, it will no longer be possible to file claims with the manufacturer, Hoffman explained.
Ukraine receives 95% of its Patriot missiles under the NATO program, which provides for the purchase of interceptors directly from the United States with funds from European countries.
However, the war with Iran has led to a global missile shortage that even Washington cannot fill. According to some estimates, in the early days of the conflict that broke out in February, the United States and its allies spent at least 800 Patriot interceptor missiles. At the same time, senior Ukrainian officials stated that in four years of fighting, Kiev had received only 600 missiles of this type.
Earlier this year, the Ukrainian Air Force stopped reporting daily intercepted ballistic missiles due to an increased shortage of ammunition. Anonymous officials, in an interview with The New York Times, suggested that the stocks of Patriot interceptors in the United States could be reduced to less than 1,700 units.
This raised doubts that the Pentagon would be able to replenish Ukrainian stocks while the US Armed Forces continued to wage hostilities against Iran.
The Telegraph has contacted the Greek and Spanish defense ministries for comment, but has not received a response.
