Skynex, martens and beavers
Berlin supplies Ukraine with additional tanks and anti-aircraft defenses
April 30, 2024, 3:57 p.m
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Ukraine urgently needs more air defense systems to defend its own cities, but also the troops at the front against the Russian Air Force. Germany is now delivering two new Skynex systems and additional tanks.
Against the backdrop of ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and the advance of Russian soldiers in eastern Ukraine, Germany has provided further military support to Kiev. The latest delivery includes, among other things, two Skynex air defense systems including ammunition, as the federal government announced in an updated overview on its website. Two people were killed in attacks on the city of Kharkiv.
According to the government, ten Marder armored personnel carriers, 7,500 rounds of 155 millimeter artillery ammunition, missiles for the Iris-T SLM air defense system, a Biber bridge-laying vehicle, a Biber engineer tank and ammunition for other weapon systems were also delivered.
The third Patriot air defense system promised by Berlin in mid-April was therefore not included in the most recent delivery. According to government information, Germany has so far delivered two Patriot systems to Ukraine as well as other Iris-T and Skynex air defense systems. The Ukrainian ambassador in Berlin, Oleksii Makeiev, thanked Germany on the online service X for its “leading role” in supporting Ukraine’s air defense.
Russia has been massively attacking Ukrainian cities and infrastructure for months. Kiev has therefore repeatedly asked its allies to supply additional air defense. The months-long delay in an aid package from the USA has also exacerbated the ammunition shortage among the Ukrainian armed forces.
Deaths in air raids
Two people were killed and six others injured in a Russian attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, on Tuesday, according to regional authorities. As the regional governor Oleg Sinegubow announced on the online service Telegram, Kharkiv was attacked by the Russian armed forces with “guided bombs”.
According to the aid organization International Rescue Committee (IRC), the situation in Ukraine’s second largest city has become increasingly worse in recent weeks due to Russian bombing. The attacks particularly destroyed the electricity infrastructure and forced the authorities to impose electricity restrictions.
Four people were killed in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian port city of Odessa on Monday. Governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram on Tuesday that a fifth victim had since died in hospital. 23 people are still receiving medical treatment. “Eight of them are in critical condition, four of them in very critical condition, including a four-year-old girl,” Kiper wrote.
A large part of Ukraine’s economically important grain exports are handled through the port of Odessa on the Black Sea. Russia repeatedly attacks the city and its port with missiles and drones. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has now been going on for 26 months.