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Germany withdrawing Patriot air defense systems, military personnel from Poland

The command in Rzeszow has been taken over by the Dutch military

BERLIN, December 16. /TASS/. The German defense ministry has issued a release announcing the withdrawal of its Patriot air defense missile systems from Poland and the return of the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) personnel stationed there.

The German defense ministry noted that the Bundeswehr is withdrawing the Patriot air defense systems deployed in Poland, which were intended to protect NATO airspace and the transport hub in Rzeszow near the border with Ukraine. "After the smooth handover of mission command to our Dutch partners at the beginning of December, the last military personnel have today returned to their bases," the ministry emphasized.

At the end of January, Germany deployed two Patriot batteries and 200 military personnel to Rzeszow airport on the border with Ukraine for a period of six months. In early May, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk asked German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to extend the deployment of the Patriot batteries on the border with Ukraine until the end of the year. Thus, the German air defense systems and military personnel were stationed in Poland until December, with part of their mission being to ensure supplies to the Ukrainian military.

"As with previous deployments to Poland and Slovakia in 2023 and 2024, the mission was called up at short notice to reduce the burden on our allies on the ground," German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius explained. Now, he pointed out, command in Rzeszow has been taken over by the Dutch military.

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