Ukraine Faces Growing Air Defense Crisis As Patriot Supplies Dwindle

Ukraine’s air defenses are under mounting pressure after it failed to intercept any of the 24 ballistic missiles and four Zircon cruise missiles Russia fired during an August 5 attack, a result that highlights how strained interceptor capacity has become. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine has received only about a third as many air-defense interceptors this year as in the same period in 2025, warning partner deliveries have fallen sharply. Kyiv is looking to European stocks and expanded production, with plans that could include licensed or joint Patriot manufacturing before winter. Analysts also questioned how many Patriot PAC-3 MSE and THAAD interceptors the U.S. can still provide.