Ukraine ‘runs out of Patriot interceptor missiles to defend against Russian attacks’
Por Suha Kidwai — – World RSS Feed
Ukraine ‘runs out of Patriot interceptor missiles to defend against Russian attacks’
As the Kyiv-Washington feud cuts off missile resupplies and blocks European aid, Ukraine’s Patriot systems have run out
Suha Kidwai Friday 16 October 2026 12:44 BST
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Ukraine has completely run out of interceptor missiles for its US-made Patriot air defence systems, leaving the country more vulnerable to Russian missile attacks, according to a report.
The reported shortage comes as Ukraine faces intensifying Russian strikes on its energy infrastructure and mounting uncertainty over continued US military support.
Russian attacks on Tuesday night and Wednesday struck three power plants in Kyiv and damaged energy infrastructure in Kharkiv. Four people were killed and 25 injured in Kyiv, authorities said.
A source told CNN that a lack of Patriot interceptors meant almost all ballistic missiles in the latest attack were not intercepted.
open image in galleryUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky had warned for months that interceptor stocks were reaching critical levels, saying in August that Kyiv possessed barely a tenth of the munitions needed.
The collapse in stocks follows a breakdown in relations between Kyiv and the White House.
The White House has repeatedly blamed global fuel inflation on the war in Ukraine, as Trump comes under increasing domestic pressure ahead of next month’s US midterm elections.
With diesel prices topping $6 a gallon, Trump demanded that Kyiv halt its long-range drone strikes against Russian oil refineries – claiming it is driving up prices.
When Zelensky refused, the Trump administration struck a deal directly with Moscow to supply 4.8 million metric tons of Russian diesel, sparking outrage in Kyiv.
Since, Zelensky has publicly condemned the agreement as a “betrayal” that directly bankrolls Moscow’s war effort, and announced that Ukraine would resume striking Russian refineries.
Washington responded with immediate punitive measures. US authorities slowed Ukraine’s frontline access to the Starlink satellite communications network, while the State Department and Pentagon warned Ukrainian commanders and NATO allies that continued refinery strikes would trigger a total freeze on US intelligence sharing.
open image in galleryCrucially, US officials also threatened to suspend European purchases of American arms through the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL). Blocking PURL prevents European nations from buying fresh Patriot interceptors for Kyiv, while Washington has simultaneously buried a promised license that would have allowed Ukraine to manufacture the missiles domestically.
Speaking after Russia launched more than 850 attack drones and ballistic missiles in a single night, Zelensky said that the lack of air defences was straining Ukraine’s military.
“The speed of our defensive capabilities is being artificially restricted,” Zelensky said, issuing a direct plea to Washington to release interceptor shipments. “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.”
open image in galleryBut the Patriot interceptor shortage is no longer simply a Ukrainian problem.
Globally, nineteen countries operate Patriot systems, and demand has surged as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have consumed missiles faster than industry can replace them. The US, the system’s principal supplier, is also grappling with depleted inventories.
The scale of the American shortfall is striking. In May, CSIS estimated that restoring American Patriot inventories to their pre-war levels would take at least three years under projected deliveries.
More about
UkraineRussiaUSVolodymyr ZelenskyKyivWhite HouseTrump
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