One of the systems was donated by the United States, while another was jointly gifted by Germany and the Netherlands.
Ukrainian troops have been training on the systems in recent months in what U.S. military officials called an “absolutely a quick study.” Soldiers began training at Fort Sill, Okla., in January and were expected to take up to a year, but were almost ready to use the systems in battle last month, the officials said. They also completed training in Europe alongside the Dutch and German militaries.
The delivery marks the end of Reznikov’s lengthy effort to secure the defense systems, he said, as he asked allies for Patriots during a visit to the U.S. two years ago — months before the war broke out.
He pleaded with U.S. officials, telling them “our country’s liberty and independence are under threat. And what did we hear? It’s impossible! But the impossible is possible,” Reznikov wrote.
