According to German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht, Germany will transfer the first of four IRIS-T SLM air defense systems to Ukraine within days.

“The repeated missile assault on Kyiv and many other places demonstrates how critical it is to immediately provide Ukraine with air defense systems,” Lambrecht said in a statement.

“Russia’s missile and drone assaults frighten the civilian population in particular. That is why we are currently offering assistance, particularly with air defense weaponry.”

Russia pounded cities across Ukraine during rush hour on Monday morning, killing civilians and knocking out power and heat, in apparent revenge strikes after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a blast on Russia’s bridge to Crimea to be a terrorist attack.