German Foreign Minister: it will take months to supply promised air defense systems to Ukraine
It will take months for Germany to supply Ukraine with the German IRIS-T SLM air defense systems, said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during a speech in the Bundestag.
When asked about the delivery of IRIS-T SLM to Kyiv, which was previously announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Baerbock said: "Yes, it will take months."
The Minister explained the delay by the fact that the weapons will be supplied by the manufacturer Diehl directly to Ukraine, and not from Bundeswehr warehouses.
At the same time, the German Foreign Minister noted that Berlin should prepare for long-term support for Ukraine, because, according to her, Putin has changed his strategy and now, instead of an "imminent victory", is betting on the depopulation of the Donbas and the destruction of its infrastructure.
The IRIS-T SLM system has a range of 40 km. It allows to shoot down combat aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, rocket artillery, drones, anti-radar missiles at an altitude of up to 20 km.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany intends to supply Ukraine with its most modern IRIS-T air defense system, multiple launch rocket systems, newest radars and self-propelled howitzers.