Ukraine updates: Germany supplies another air defense system

The German government has already supplied Ukraine with three Iris-T SLM and one Iris-T SLS air defense systems as well as two Patriot air defense systems

Germany's defense minister said that another IRIS-T air defense system has been delivered to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Kyiv says it has "combat control" of areas in Kharkiv where Russian forces entered. Follow DW for more.

Germany has supplied Ukraine with another IRIS-T air defense system as Russia has increased air strikes on Ukraine over the past few months.

Berlin has supplied Kyiv with several of the systems designed to protect cities, civilian populations and military personnel from air attacks.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces had secured "combat control" of areas in the Kharkiv region where Russian troops had staged an incursion earlier this month.

Here's a look at the latest developments from Russia's war in Ukraine on Saturday, May 25.

Germany delivers another IRIS-T air defense system to Ukraine

Germany's Defense Ministry on Friday confirmed that another IRIS-T air defense system had been delivered to Ukraine.

"We have once again delivered a combined IRIS-T SLM and IRIS-T SLS fire unit to Ukraine," said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

Pistorius spoke of a "highly modern and well-proven medium and short-range air defense system, manufactured directly by German industry."

Together with the recently delivered Patriot system, Germany is thus "strengthening Ukraine's air defense in its defensive battle against Russia's brutal war of aggression, which violates international law," Pistorius said.

Each IRIS-T system consists of truck-mounted launchers, missiles, a radar unit and a separate command vehicle.

It is designed to protect cities, military personnel and civilian populations from air attacks, being capable of defending against planes, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles such as drones, cruise missiles and loitering munitions.

It has an operational range of 40 kilometers (25 miles) and can attain an altitude of 20 kilometers.

Prior to Friday's delivery, Germany had already supplied Ukraine with three Iris-T SLM and one Iris-T SLS air defense systems as well as two Patriot air defense systems.

Pistorius said that Russia has been stepping up its air attacks on Ukraine for months, killing people and destroying important infrastructure.

Ukraine has 'combat control' of areas where Russian forces entered — Zelenskyy

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces had managed to secure "combat control" of areas in the Kharkiv region where Russian forces had pushed into this month.

"Our soldiers have now managed to take combat control of the border area where the Russian occupiers entered," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.

Zelenskyy visited the region's capital on Friday to discuss the battle for Vovchansk, a town situated less than five kilometres (three miles) from the border.

"The Ukrainian Defence Forces have stopped Russian troops in the Kharkiv sector... The situation is under control, counter-offensive actions are underway," Ukraine's military said.

Despite initial success, "the enemy has got completely bogged down in street battles for Vovchansk and suffered very high losses in assault units," Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said on social media.

Viktor Vodolatskiy, a member of Russia's lower house of parliament, meanwhile was quoted by Tass news agency as saying that Russian forces controlled more than half the territory of the town of Vovchansk.

Vodolatskiy was quoted as saying that once Vovchansk was secured, Russian forces would target three cities in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region — Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Pokrovsk.

The battlefield accounts from either side cannot be independently verified.

US announces $275 million of military aid for Ukraine

The US has announced $275 million (€253 million) in military aid for Ukraine as efforts to fend off Russian advances in the Kharkiv region continue.

"The United States is announcing today a significant new drawdown of weapons and equipment for Ukraine to support the brave Ukrainian people as they defend their country," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"This $275 million package, which is part of our efforts to help Ukraine repel Russia's assault near Kharkiv, contains urgently needed capabilities," said Blinken.

The package includes high-mobility artillery rocket systems, or HIMARS, munitions as well 155 mm and 105 mm high-demand artillery rounds.

Other items in the aid package include Javelin and AT-4 antitank systems, including antitank mines, tactical vehicles, small arms and ammunition for those weapons.

Last month, US lawmakers greenlit a long-delayed $61 billion military aid deal for Ukraine after months of deadlock in Congress as Ukrainian forces experienced shortages on the battlefield.

Since then, President Joe Biden has ordered five tranches of military aid to be sent to Ukraine.

kb/sri (dpa, AFP, Reuters, AP)