The first batch of German soldiers was set to depart for Poland on Monday from the northeastern town of Bad Sülze, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The government in Berlin has promised to provide Poland with three Patriot batteries “to ensure the protection of critical infrastructure of a NATO ally” on the border with Ukraine, Germany’s DPA news agency reported.
Germany is also poised to deliver one Patriot battery to Ukraine to help it defend itself against Russia's invasion, according to officials.
The decision to deploy German Patriot systems to Poland was agreed last year between Berlin and Warsaw.
Berlin offers Patriot batteries to Poland
Germany's decision to send Patriot batteries to Poland came after a stray missile struck a village in southeastern Poland in November, killing two people, according to reports at the time.
Two Polish citizens died when "a Russia-made missile" caused an explosion outside the southeastern Polish village of Przewodów, about 6 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, at around 3:40 p.m. on Tuesday, November 15, according to a statement by the Polish foreign ministry.
The explosion at a grain facility in Przewodów came as Russia fired dozens of missiles against cities across Ukraine in a new wave of attacks targeting critical energy infrastructure, according to officials.
Poland's President Andrzej Duda said in November that the missile strike was "a tragic accident" that was caused by Russia's war in neighbouring Ukraine.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said a day earlier that the deadly explosion in Poland near its border with Ukraine was the result of a Ukrainian air defense missile that landed in Poland, but added that Russia "bears ultimate responsibility" for the incident.
Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told parliament in Warsaw on November 16 that it could not be ruled out that the missile incident was the result of a "provocation" by Russia.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on November 16 that the missile was probably a stray fired by Ukraine's air defences and not a Russian strike, but added that Russia "bears ultimate responsibility" for the incident as it "continues its illegal war" against Ukraine.
Germany provides Patriot system to Ukraine
Meanwhile, Germany is set to begin to train Ukrainian troops on the Patriot system by the end of the month, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.
Germany had consulted the supply of a Patriot battery to Ukraine with America; Washington also plans to send an air defence system to help Ukraine’s war effort, according to officials.
Last week, the Pentagon announced that Ukrainian troops would soon begin training on the Patriot air defence system in the United States.
The training programme is expected to begin this week at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, where the United States conducts its own training on operating and maintaining the advanced missile system, broadcaster CNN has reported.
Monday was day 327 of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, rmf24.pl, tvp.info