It will be important for Putin to destroy Patriot air defense system in Ukraine, - Forbes
The destruction of the American Patriot air defense system in Ukraine would have more political significance for Russian President Vladimir Putin than strategic significance on the battlefield.
According to Forbes, Putin can use weapons supplied by Iran in any attempt to destroy the Ukrainian Patriot, Censor.NET reports with reference to UNIAN.
"Putin's patron Tehran would welcome such an attack on the Ukrainian Patriot, as it would show that its technology can neutralize one of the most advanced air defense systems developed in the United States. It would not be surprising if the Iranian military would even help Russia plan and carry out such an attack." , - the post says.
If the Armed Forces anchor their Patriot in Kyiv, which is quite likely, then the Russian Federation can launch an unprecedented number of Shaheds and missiles aimed at its radar to ensure the destruction of this battery. In this way, the Kremlin will make it clear that its attacks will not be stopped, despite the efforts of the US and its allies to strengthen Ukraine's air defense.
As the publication noted, such an attempt can be successful for one main reason: since the beginning of the war, the Armed Forces have shown themselves to be very skillful and clever in maneuvering their air defense systems to avoid destruction. But the Patriot air defense system does not move so easily and dodges blows. While a single battery may only require three people to operate, it takes up to 90 people to move it and set up all the components.
However, as the publication noted, Ukraine can once again show ingenuity, and its Patriot battery may well hold out despite serious threats.
At the same time, Washington did not expect that the delivered Patriot system would change the course of the war in Ukraine. "The delivery is more symbolic of the US determination to support Ukraine. However, its destruction may also be symbolic for Putin, who may come to the conclusion that carrying out an operation to destroy it would be a worthy pretext solely for propaganda purposes," the publication suggests.
