18.04.2024 16:46
German Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck is visiting Kyiv on Thursday, accompanied by a business delegation consisting of the heads of defense enterprises that produce weapons systems for Ukraine.
That’s according to Bild, Ukrinform reports.
The delegation includes Helmut Rauch, the head of Diehl Defense, the company that produces the Iris-T SLM air defense system (40 km range, price: EUR 140 million).
“Three of our systems are already in Ukraine and more will be delivered this year. The next one in just a few weeks,” Rauch said.
GCS (Global Clearance Solutions) mine clearance vehicles are already clearing up the deadly legacies of war and detecting booby traps and landmines.
“Thirty of our devices are already in use in Ukraine and 50 more have been ordered. We deliver three to four systems every month,” said the company’s founder and boss, Philipp von Michaelis.
Habeck said that his current visit comes at a time when Ukraine is in a situation where it again needs all possible assistance.
“This is a fight for freedom. This is important and we – Europe, Germany – have no right to forget… If Putin is successful with his war in Ukraine, he will continue. It is therefore important for our security and peace in Europe that Ukraine successfully defends itself and that we help it,” Habeck said.
He noted that assistance should not be “a one-time or short-term thing,” but it should be long-term and permanent.
This is Habeck’s second visit after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He made his previous trip to Ukraine exactly one year ago. The politician is expected to hold meetings with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Energy Minister German Galushchenko.
(C)UKRINFORM 2024
This report deserves at least one comment, too: Of course, this is great news. Iris-T has already proven its value in many Russian drone and missile waves, and every additional battery provides more security for the people of Ukraine. But one thing it can’t do is to stop hypersonic missiles. That’s the domain of the Patriot system and that’s where the most dangerous gap in Ukraine’s air defence has ripped up recently. This urgently needs to be closed, so the announcement of six Patriot batteries being earmarked for Ukraine is the more important news today. Because air defence is a complex task, which requires all components to be at the right place and the right time! 🤨