Ukraine running out of patriot missiles as Russian ballistic attacks intensify: Report

Ukraine has reportedly exhausted its supply of US-made Patriot air defense interceptor missiles, leaving the country increasingly vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile attacks, according to a source familiar with the situation who spoke to US media outlet CNN on Thursday. The development comes amid escalating tensions between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In recent days, the White House has faced heavy criticism over a deal to import Russian diesel while increasing pressure on Kyiv to stop attacking Russia’s oil infrastructure.

Zelensky has expressed a sense of betrayal over Trump’s deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite Washington’s demands, the Ukrainian leader has announced that his country will continue targeting Russian refineries. For months, Zelensky has repeatedly warned that Ukraine’s stockpile of US-made Patriot interceptor missiles was running dangerously low. These missiles are among the few defensive weapons capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles, making them critical to protecting Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

However, Patriot interceptors are expensive and in limited supply worldwide. Several countries have depleted their stockpiles or sought to strengthen their air defenses amid the ongoing war in Iran, further complicating Ukraine’s efforts to secure additional supplies. According to the source cited by CNN, almost all the ballistic missiles from the last strike were not intercepted due to lack of the (interceptor) missiles. During the overnight attack into Wednesday morning, Russian ballistic missiles struck three power plants in Kyiv and targeted energy infrastructure in Kharkiv. The attack killed four people and injured 25 others in Kyiv.

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Ukraine’s Air Force had previously reported intercepting four Russian ballistic missiles during the assault, suggesting that the country may have used some of its remaining Patriot interceptors to defend against the incoming strikes. This is reportedly not the first time Ukraine has completely exhausted its supply of Patriot interceptor missiles. Zelensky has repeatedly spoken publicly about the difficulty of obtaining additional stocks from international allies. In mid-August, CNN became the first media outlet to gain access to a Patriot air defense system deployed on Ukrainian territory.

Ukrainian officials revealed at the time that the country had nearly run out of interceptor missiles. Speaking to CNN in August, Zelensky said his days were consumed by ‘millions’ of phone calls with international partners as he tried to secure additional Patriot systems and missiles. He also revealed that Ukraine possessed only a tenth of the interceptor missiles it urgently needed.

A month later, Zelensky expressed greater optimism, claiming that Ukraine will receive a license to manufacture Patriot missiles from the US. However, Trump declined to confirm whether he supported the proposal, and the anticipated manufacturing license never materialised. Relations between Zelensky and Trump have deteriorated further in recent days as Washington has pushed Kyiv to suspend attacks on Russian fuel facilities while Moscow continues its strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

On Wednesday, Zelensky renewed his appeal for additional air defense supplies in a public statement, saying, “The American president has all the effective and necessary tools to bring peace closer through strength, justice, and pressure on the aggressor. We ask for additional packages of Patriot missile interceptors for Ukraine.”