Germany has delivered a Patriot air defence system to Ukraine, according to a governmental list that was updated on Tuesday, adding to Kyiv’s defence capabilities as Russia continues to unleash missiles and airstrikes on Ukraine.

On Wednesday, Ukraine’s defence minister said his country has received US-made Patriot surface-to-air guided missile systems it has long craved and which Kyiv hopes will help shield it from Russian strikes during the war.

“Today, our beautiful Ukrainian sky becomes more secure because Patriot air defence systems have arrived in Ukraine,” defence minister Oleksii Reznikov said in a tweet.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz had promised the advanced US-made system in coordination with Washington after a telephone call with President Joe Biden early this year. The German Army started training about 70 Ukrainian soldiers on the systems at the beginning of February.

Germany has been criticised for dragging its feet in sending heavy weapons to Ukraine, but it has also become Ukraine’s largest weapons donor in continental Europe. According to the government’s calculation, Germany has already sent at least 2.7 billion euros, or nearly $3 billion, in direct military aid.

Before sending the latest system, Germany stationed several of its Patriot systems in eastern Poland to help secure Nato’s eastern flank.