Italy Defense Battery to Ukraine: Italy has announced that, in response to Kyiv’s urgent requests for assistance in fending off Russian missile threats, it will send a second SAMP/T air defense battery to Ukraine.
Antonio Tajani, Italy’s foreign minister, stated late on June 3, “It is known that we will send SAMP/T, which is an instrument of air defense, therefore of protection, that Ukraine itself asked for.”
The battery that will be sent to Ukraine is one of the five systems that Italy currently operates, and it is supposedly stationed in Kuwait right now. According to Defense News, as part of a NATO program, another system was recently stationed in Slovakia, and another is scheduled to be installed in southern Italy in June to safeguard a G7 conference.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, nine packages of weapons have been shipped to Kyiv, and the battery is expected to be part of this shipment.
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The prime minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, has been a fervent backer of Kyiv’s attempt to drive out Russian forces; yet, the Italian government has thus far kept the specifics of their military supply a secret due popular resistance among Italian citizens against ongoing war effort.
It seems unlikely that the SAMP/T system and the ninth package of armaments will be approved until after this weekend’s elections in the European Union. Together with France, Italy sent Ukraine a battery last year.
The SAMP/T tactical antimissile system is a truck-based weaponry intended to take out tactical ballistic missiles, manned and unmanned aircraft, and hostile cruise missiles.
According to Tajani, Italy will not permit Ukraine to attack targets within Russia with Italian weapons. “We will assist Ukraine in defending itself against the Russian invasion, but Italian weapons cannot be used against Russian territory,” he declared.
On Monday, the United States granted Ukraine limited permission to use American-supplied weapons to strike targets inside Russia close to the Kharkiv region’s border.
On June 2, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that US artillery—known as HIMARS—had been fired into Russia.
Last week, the Dutch government said that the nation has been trying to “quickly” install a second Patriot air defense system for Ukraine and invited other European nations to join.
The Netherlands will provide necessary parts and components for a Patriot system from its current stockpile, and the Defense Ministry has identified which other countries might be able to provide additional parts and ammunition. The administration is in negotiations with other partners to put together a comprehensive system that includes crew training in Ukraine.
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Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren stated in a statement, “With our offer, and consulting with partner countries providing several key parts and munitions, we can provide Ukraine with at least one fully operational system in a short time frame.”
Although there aren’t many Patriot systems, the Netherlands claimed that “Ukraine is also fighting Europe’s fight” and that daily attacks are made on the nation’s infrastructure, energy production, and warfighting capacity.
Ollongren quoted comments made by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, stating that “so the room for creativity is there” for member nations to temporarily drop below the alliance’s defense capacity pledges.
According to Ollongren, the Netherlands is depending on promises from industrial suppliers to expedite the manufacture and delivery of replacement systems.
In a speech on April 17, Stoltenberg stated that “my message is clear: send more to Ukraine” if allies had to choose between achieving alliance capabilities goals and helping Ukraine more.
According to the Defence Ministry, the Netherlands has so far provided two Patriot launchers and air-defense missiles for the system.
