Site of a Russian missile strike on a goods storage facility in Kiev<\/p>\n
After Ukraine failed to shoot down a single ballistic missile fired by Russia on Wednesday, the president urged allies to increase supplies of Patriot interceptors<\/p>\n
Nato is working to get Ukraine the air defences it \u201curgently needs\u201d, its secretary general has said, after Kyiv failed to shoot down a single Russian missile in an attack on Wednesday, and as Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/a> warned that Moscow was seeking to significantly boost missile \u2060production ahead of winter.<\/p>\n Speaking at a National Security and Defense Council meeting on winter resilience, the Ukrainian president did not rule out the idea that stalling missile supplies from western allies were \u201caimed at making Ukraine<\/a>, so to speak, more willing to compromise\u201d in peace talks with Russia.<\/p>\n After meeting Nato\u2019s Mark Rutte, Zelenskyy said: \u201cIt is important to cut through all red tape and make the necessary political decisions. Literally every day, people\u2019s lives here in Ukraine depend on the resolve of our partners in Europe<\/a> and the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n Russia launched 24 ballistic missiles in an overnight attack on Wednesday<\/a>, killing at least 17 people. Preliminary data from the Ukrainian air force showed its defences shot down 98 of the 115 drones fired by Russia<\/a> overnight, but none of the ballistic missiles.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, Zelenskyy said that in the first half of 2026, supplies of air defence missiles from Ukraine\u2019s allies had fallen to a third of their 2025 level.<\/p>\n The president also warned that Moscow was looking to significantly increase ballistic missile \u2060production as winter neared, when it is expected to renew its campaign against Ukraine\u2019s energy sector.<\/p>\n Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine\u2019s president on the development of defence technology, estimated that Russia<\/a> was capable of launching 100 ballistic missiles every month to attack logistic \u200bhubs, industrial facilities, food stores and warehouses. \u201cThe war of attrition has entered its next phase,\u201d he said on the Telegram app.<\/p>\n Ukraine has been short on US-made Patriot interceptors capable of downing Russian ballistic missiles since the \u2060start of the war. But in recent weeks, an acute shortage has come into focus<\/a>, with Moscow pummelling Kyiv, on \u200baverage, every three days in July alone. Zelenskyy said the shortage of interceptor missiles was mainly caused by the war in the Middle East.<\/p>\n Patriot missile systems are the only system in Ukrainian service able to intercept the Russian Iskander-M, S-400 and Zircon missiles, according to the Ukrainian air force.<\/p>\n Russia often combines ballistic missiles with cruise missiles, drones and decoys, forcing defenders to track many threats and ration scarce interceptors, but Ukraine says it has too few batteries and interceptors to properly protect itself.<\/p>\n The interceptor shortage has become more acute as a result of the US-Israel war on Iran, which has consumed large numbers of Patriot and other interceptors<\/a>. An analysis by the Associated Press estimated that the US Patriot inventory had fallen by at least 65% since before the war. The Pentagon claims it retains a deep arsenal of supplies.<\/p>\n Production cannot immediately close the gap. Lockheed Martin delivered more than 600 of the newest model of interceptors in 2025 and is working toward annual capacity of 2,000 by the end of 2030. But according to some estimates, Gulf states collectively fired more than 1,100 interceptors<\/a> in the first three months of the Iran war.<\/p>\n Nato says Europe\u2019s first Patriot missile production facility is expected to open in September in Germany.<\/p>\n Political signals from Washington have also shifted. At a Nato summit last month, Donald Trump said the US would give Ukraine a licence to produce Patriots<\/a>. About three weeks later, he said he had not made a final decision<\/a>. Even with a licence, officials and experts estimate that starting production in Ukraine would take years.<\/p>\n Despite Trump casting doubt on the deal last month, the US is pressing ahead with talks on allowing Ukraine to make Patriot interceptors, according to reports from Reuters.<\/p>\n The discussions \u2060include an option for Ukraine to \u2060build some components for final assembly elsewhere in \u200bEurope, according to the report.<\/p>\n