The Pentagon announced the start of training for the Ukrainian army to use the Patriot air defense system.

WASHINGTON, January 17 – RIA Novosti. Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder, in his briefing to reporters, said that the US has started training the Ukrainian army on the use of Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems, and that this course will take several months.

“Training has begun…it will take several months,” he said.

Ryder confirmed that the US plans to train 90-100 Ukrainians in the use of Patriot air defense systems.

Earlier, the Pentagon reported that the Ukrainian military will develop the Patriot at a base in Oklahoma. The Americans expect to prepare the Ukrainian army in a few months for the use and maintenance of Patriot systems, the first battery of which is included in the final aid package to Kiev.

Russia had previously sent a note to NATO countries for arms supplies to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine would become a legitimate target for Russia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation reported that NATO countries were “playing with fire” by supplying weapons to Ukraine. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov noted that pumping weapons into Ukraine from the West does not contribute to the success of the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations and will have a negative effect.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier that the United States and NATO are directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine, “including not only the supply of weapons, but also personnel training” in Britain, Germany, Italy and other countries.