The Pentagon says it will "rush" Patriot air defense missiles and artillery ammunition to Ukraine as part of its new military aid package.

However, Patriot systems for launching the missiles will not be sent, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, BBC reported. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Patriots were "urgently" needed to face a growing Russian air threat and "can and should save lives right now".

The Patriots are the most capable and expensive air defense systems that Ukraine has. Each Patriot battery costs around $1bn (£800m), and each missile costs nearly $4m.