Ukraine is anticipating the arrival of its eighth German-financed IRIS-T SLM fire unit in the near future, according to a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Embassy in Germany. Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany, Oleksandr Shmyhal, reportedly stated today that the unit is en route to Ukraine. This development comes as the European Commission confirmed that Ukraine will receive €3.05 billion as the fourth tranche under the Ukraine Facility, though a delay and a reduction are in place due to unmet reform commitments. The delivery schedule for the IRIS-T SLM fire unit, agreed upon between German and Ukrainian partners, is expected to be honored, the Ukrainian Embassy spokesperson confirmed. If the Ambassador's statement is accurate, the delivery of this eighth unit would mean two of the four IRIS-T SLM fire units pledged for this year have been delivered to Ukraine by the end of July, with the first unit having arrived at the end of May or beginning of June 2025. The European Commission's €3.05 billion tranche is part of the Ukraine Facility, but 3 out of 16 expected reforms were not completed, leading to the delay and cut. In related news, reports suggest that a PATRIOT air-defence system and additional interceptors arrived in Ukraine by the end of last week, facilitated by a deal with Germany. It is considered unlikely that Ukraine received an additional PATRIOT battery from the Bundeswehr; however, an ex-IDF battery, currently undergoing refurbishment, was still slated for delivery. This refurbished battery may be the source of the additional system. Germany and the United States are continuing efforts to restore remaining batteries to operational condition and deliver them to Ukraine. Separately, 500 volunteers who were involved in mine clearance in Lviv have been mobilized, with all individuals lacking official reservations or deferments being drafted, as stated by Commander Lion Seredyuk. Additionally, there are reports of Russian Armed Forces advancing east of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region.
