Poland is preparing to deploy the German Patriot air defense system on its territory, after Berlin refused to place this system in Ukraine, Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Twitter, according to Reuters.
Germany last month offered Poland the Patriot system to help secure its airspace after a stray missile crashed and killed two people in Poland. Poland and NATO have said they believe it was a Ukrainian missile that misfired as the country was protecting itself from a missile barrage on November 15.
Polish Defence Minister later asked Germany to send the fire units to Ukraine instead.
“After talking to the German Defense Ministry, I was disappointed to accept the decision to reject Ukraine’s support. Deploying the Patriots to the western Ukraine would increase the security of Poles and Ukrainians,” Blaszczak tweeted on Tuesday evening.
“So we proceed to working arrangements for placing the launchers in Poland and connecting them to our command system,” added Blaszczak.
Germany has said the Patriot system offered to Poland was part of NATO’s integrated air defense and only to be deployed on NATO territory, AP News reports.