President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Western supplies of anti-ballistic missile interceptors have dropped threefold this year compared with 2025, leaving Ukraine unable to stop an overnight Russian missile barrage that killed at least 17 people in the Kyiv region. Ukraine's Air Force said it intercepted none of the missiles. Zelenskyy urged partner nations to speed up deliveries of Patriot interceptors.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Ukraine's supply of Western-made missile interceptors has dropped threefold this year compared with 2025, a shortfall that left Kyiv unable to stop an overnight Russian missile barrage. Russia launched 24 ballistic missiles and four anti-ship missiles into Ukraine, primarily targeting the Kyiv region, and Ukraine's Air Force said none of them were shot down. At least 17 people were killed and nearly 50 injured in and around the capital, local officials said.
Casualties spread across the Kyiv region
The head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration, Tymur Tkachenko, said the strike killed nine people in the Brovary district, four in the Bucha district, and one in the Fastiv district. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko separately reported at least 24 people injured and one killed in the attack on the capital itself. Ukraine's military said its air defenses shot down or suppressed 98 Russian drones launched alongside the missiles, but intercepted none of the missiles themselves.
Interceptor shortage grows more dire
Zelenskyy said the shortage affected the entire first half of 2026, not just the summer months, and urged partner nations to release more interceptors from their stockpiles. Zelenskyy said air defense missile supplies from partners "has dropped threefold compared with 2025." He also said Wednesday that interceptors could have saved lives in the overnight bombardment.
Patriot supplies remain the bottleneck
Russia has ramped up its ballistic missile attacks this year, launching more than 120 attacks in July alone. Ukraine's most reliable defense against these attacks is the US-made Patriot system, which relies on interceptors such as the $4 million PAC-3. Patriot interceptors are in high global demand, as the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East demand around-the-clock air defense operations, and the US and its allies have fired hundreds battling Iran since late February.
Ukraine is hopeful the United States will grant a license to manufacture Patriot interceptors domestically, though President Donald Trump has not yet committed to the proposal despite initially agreeing to it. Ukraine is also developing a pan-European air defense system designed to engage Russian ballistic missiles at a lower cost than the Patriot.
Sources: Business Insider, Oilprice.com
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