WorldPosted at: Oct 15 2026 11:09PM


Ukraine runs out of Patriot missiles amid increasing Russian ballistic missile attacks

Kyiv, Oct 15 (UNI) Ukraine has run out of missiles for its US-made Patriot air defence systems, leaving the country more vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile attacks, a source familiar with the situation told CNN on Thursday.
Making things worse, the shortage comes amid worsening relations between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, following Washington's deal to ease restrictions on Russian diesel exports and pressure Kyiv to stop attacking Russian oil infrastructure.
Zelensky has accused Trump of betraying Ukraine through the agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has vowed to continue strikes on Russian refineries.
For months, the Ukrainian president has warned that his country was running critically low on Patriot interceptor missiles, among the few weapons capable of destroying incoming ballistic missiles.
The interceptors are highly expensive and in limited supply globally, with other countries seeking to replenish their stockpiles or strengthen their air defences amid the war involving Iran.
"Almost all the ballistic missiles from the last strike were not intercepted due to lack of the (interceptor) missiles," the source told CNN.
During Russia's overnight assault into Wednesday, ballistic missiles struck three power plants in Kyiv and targeted energy infrastructure in Kharkiv. Four people were killed and 25 injured in Kyiv, according to the report.
Ukraine has faced Patriot shortages before. In August, CNN was given access to a Patriot system inside the country, where Ukrainian officials said their interceptor stocks had been nearly exhausted.
At the time, Zelensky said he was spending much of his time making calls to allies to secure additional supplies. He said Ukraine had only about a tenth of the interceptor missiles it urgently needed.
A month later, he expressed hope that Ukraine would obtain a US licence to manufacture Patriot missiles. Trump declined to confirm whether Washington would approve the arrangement, and no licence materialised.
Tensions between Trump and Zelensky have intensified in recent days over Washington's demands that Kyiv halt attacks on Russian energy facilities while Moscow continues strikes on Ukraine's own infrastructure.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Zelensky said he would consider stopping attacks on Russian energy infrastructure only if the US supplied additional Patriot interceptors as a minimum requirement. He also alleged that Washington's response to his requests for more air defence systems had been to weaken Ukraine's access to Starlink satellite services.
On Wednesday, Zelensky renewed his appeal for military assistance.
"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," he said.
The dispute has also raised concerns over the future of US military assistance. Earlier this week, the Trump administration reportedly warned Ukraine and European allies that Washington could suspend intelligence sharing and halt European purchases of US-made weapons for Kyiv if Ukraine continued its deep strikes against Russian energy facilities.
Two European officials told CNN that warnings from the State Department and Pentagon were sent to officials in Ukraine and Europe over the weekend, including communications from the US military directly to Ukrainian commanders.
Trump has since maintained that Washington has not stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine.
Any suspension of European purchases under the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), a mechanism for supplying US-made weapons to Ukraine, could threaten future deliveries of Patriot interceptors at a time when Kyiv's supplies are critically low.
Trump has increasingly blamed the Ukraine-Russia war for rising global diesel prices ahead of the US midterm elections, although the conflict involving Iran has also placed significant pressure on fuel markets.
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