The Russian embassy in Washington has responded promptly to reports that the United States wants to deliver Patriot anti-aircraft batteries to Ukraine: If confirmed, it will witness "another provocative step" by the Biden administration, which could have "unpredictable consequences". .

When asked in Moscow whether Patriot batteries on Ukrainian soil would be a target for Russian forces, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Absolutely." He declined to comment further on the issue.

Majid Sattar

Political correspondent for North America based in Washington.

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Reinhard Veser

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The American government has not left the Russian reaction uncommented.

A Pentagon spokesman said he found it ironic and very telling that officials of a country that has brutally attacked its neighbor and is deliberately killing innocent civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure should describe a countermeasures system as "provocative."

When he said that, nothing was known about the renewed rocket attacks on Ukraine on Friday.

Such a system is there to protect the lives of civilians, the spokesman said: "We will not allow comments from Russia to dictate what military aid we provide to Ukraine."

Up to 100 kilometers range

Despite Russian propaganda portraying itself as a victim, it is important to remember that Moscow is the aggressor and can immediately de-escalate the situation by withdrawing its troops.

The United States is not at war with Russia, nor is it seeking conflict.

The spokesman reiterated, “We are focused on providing Ukraine with the military assistance it needs to defend itself.

We decided that before Russia invaded Ukraine.

And we will continue to do so.” He added that he had nothing to announce on the issue of the delivery of the anti-aircraft system.

He has not yet confirmed American media reports that the government is considering supplying the Patriot ground-based anti-aircraft defense system to Ukraine.

The delivery of the anti-aircraft system would represent a new quality in military aid.

The defense missiles can hit up to 100 kilometers away.

The system thus reaches further than the Iris-T anti-aircraft missile with a range of 40 kilometers that has already been delivered from Germany.

Germany has also given Ukraine the Gepard anti-aircraft gun tank, which shoots down its targets up to three kilometers away.

The government in Kyiv had asked for help because of Russian rocket attacks on the country's energy infrastructure.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said at the NATO meeting in Bucharest at the end of November that Patriot anti-missile missiles were the most urgent.

The American government has been hesitant so far.

Foreign Minister Antony Blinken avoided commenting on the issue at the NATO meeting in Bucharest at the end of November.

On the one hand, the background was the consideration that the step could provoke Moscow.