PARIS: France and Italy have agreed to deliver mobile surface-to-air missile systems to Ukraine, the French defence ministry said Friday.

The systems, called MAMBA or SAMP, are a vehicle-mounted battery of medium-range missiles designed to offer protection from airborne threats such as missiles and manned or unmanned aircraft.

The missile systems, jointly developed by NATO members France and Italy, will help Ukraine "defend itself against Russian drones, missiles and aircraft", the ministry said.

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The deliveries were a response to an urgent request by Ukraine's defence minister Oleksiy Reznikov made to his French and Italian counterparts to assist with "the protection of civilian populations and infrastructure from Russian air attacks", it said in a statement.

During a visit by Reznikov to Paris on Tuesday, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu had already announced that his country would ship 12 more Caesar truck-mounted howitzers and fresh air defence equipment to Ukraine.

France has yet to commit to sending Leclerc main battle tanks to Ukraine.