Israel set to test new air raid alert system in Kyiv

Israel will begin testing its civilian missile warning system in Kyiv next month.

The Algemeiner reports, citing Israeli media, that the test of the system, which delivers a red alert warning to residents in areas targeted by missiles, will be conducted by Israel's Home Front Command.

The system will be connected to the Ukrainian radar system, which will speed up the transmission of notifications to mobile phone users and activate air warning sirens only in those places where there is a danger of missile fire.

During his visit to Ukraine in February, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen promised to provide an air raid system within six months.

During this time, the Israeli and Ukrainian militaries reportedly met several times in Poland to discuss system deployment in Ukraine and necessary modifications, given the difference in the size of the two countries and the types of missiles used by Russian forces.

Ukraine had repeatedly asked Israel to match its humanitarian support with military aid since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022 and appealed for air defense systems when the Russian aggressor intensified massive missile strikes all over the territory of Ukraine in October 2022, targeting energy facilities and critical infrastructure. Both the previous government and the current government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were reluctant to commit to any of the requests out of fear of spoiling Israeli-Russian relations.