In short:
The US State Department has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine for an estimated $US 2.1 billion ($3 billion).
asserted
Department → approve → billion
It comes amid Ukraine's urgent calls for more missile interceptors to knock down the growing waves of missiles Russia's military fires at the country.
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military → come → country
Lockheed Martin is the principal contractor for the sale of the Patriot interceptors, with Pentagon negotiators pressing contractors to move quickly.
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negotiators → press → contractors
The United States has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine for an estimated $US2.1 billion ($3 billion) in what would be one of the most significant steps to supply defensive weapons to Kyiv since the start of the second Trump administration.
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what → approve → administration
The US State Department made the announcement on Friday, local time, amid Ukraine's urgent calls for more missile interceptors to knock down the growing waves of missiles Russia's military fires at the country.
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military → make → country
The Patriot missile system is the most effective weapon to counter fast-moving ballistic missiles.
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system → counter → missiles
Delayed missile deliveries have added to Ukraine's tensions with the US after President Donald Trump announced a diesel deal with Russia and criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Kyiv's unwillingness to stop attacks on Russian refineries.
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Trump → add → refineries
On Thursday, a Russian drone strike killed at least 14 people on a crowded rail platform in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, while five died in daytime strikes on two other provincial cities and a missile strike killed one person in Kyiv, officials said.
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officials → kill → Kyiv
Mr Zelenskyy said this week
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Zelenskyy → say → ?
that Ukraine had been waiting for almost a month for the US to sign off on critical missile supplies, as Russia stepped up attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure.
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Russia → wait → energy
But despite Ukraine's urgency, it will likely not receive the missile interceptors quickly.
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it → receive → interceptors
Weapons sales typically take years to fulfil, and two people briefed on the US decision said the missiles — which are yet to be manufactured — are not expected to be delivered until a couple of years into the 2030s.
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which → take → 2030s
One of the people said Ukraine's Ministry of Defence is encouraging the Pentagon to bring forward the delivery date, possibly by giving Kyiv missiles already in the US arsenal and backfilling with the new Patriot interceptors.
uncertain
Ministry → say → interceptors
Ukraine will pay for the missiles with contributions from Canada, Germany and Norway routed through a program called US JUMPSTART, along with national funds financed by the European Union's Ukraine Support Loan, the State Department said in a statement.
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Department → pay → statement
The program uses donations from allies to buy weapons, services and training for Ukraine to support its self-defence following Russia's invasion, according to a Pentagon website.
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program → use → website
The JUMPSTART program was used in August to buy 3,350 air-launched cruise missiles worth $US825 million ($1.17 billion) made by Zone 5 Technologies and CoAspire.
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program → use → Technologies
The US has supplied large quantities of weapons to allies while also using munitions in its own military operations in Iran, raising concerns about inventories of key air defence and precision-guided weapons.
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US → supply → weapons
In July, the US Army awarded Lockheed a contract worth up to $US58.6 billion ($83 billion) to produce Patriot interceptor missiles.
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Army → award → missiles
Lockheed has said that deal would allow it to follow through on a promise to triple PAC-3 MSE production capacity by the end of 2030 and increase jobs at its Camden, Arkansas, plant by 50 per cent to about 1,850 from 1,200.
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it → say → 1,200
Lockheed previously announced Patriot PAC-3 missile interceptor production would go to 2,000 units annually.
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production → announce → units
Pentagon negotiators are pressing contractors to move much faster, with tentative production agreements struck this year at the centre of efforts to increase missile output.
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negotiators → press → output
The Aporia
