NYT: Kyiv's defences falter amid declining Western missile supplies

Ukraine is facing a worsening air defence crisis as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that supplies of interceptor missiles from Western allies have sharply declined, leaving the country increasingly vulnerable to Russia's intensified missile campaign, The New York Times reports.

Following another deadly overnight attack on Kyiv that left the capital exposed to ballistic and hypersonic missile strikes, Zelenskyy said deliveries of air defence missiles from international partners had "dropped threefold compared with 2025."

Ukraine's allies, he said, "do have the missiles," but "the necessary political decisions" to provide them and accelerate production have yet to be made.

Zelenskyy argued that every additional interceptor could save lives, but his renewed appeals come amid growing reluctance among Western governments to deplete their own missile stockpiles as conflicts continue across multiple regions, including the Middle East.

Even if additional deliveries are approved, analysts say they would struggle to match Russia's growing missile production. According to data from the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia has launched 650 ballistic missiles at Ukraine so far this year—more than the number of advanced PAC-3 Patriot interceptors delivered worldwide by their US manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, during the previous year.

"The situation today is more critical than at any point since the start of the war," said Yehor Cherniev, deputy chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament's defence and intelligence committee.

"There was a time when we lacked antiballistic missile capabilities, but Russia also did not possess such a large number of ballistic missiles," he added. "Today, however, Kyiv is subjected to massive strikes several times a week, and we are unable to shoot down a single missile."

Ukraine's weakening defensive capabilities have become increasingly apparent. During Russia's last two major missile barrages, Ukrainian forces intercepted only two of 35 missiles in one attack and failed to intercept any of the 28 missiles launched in another, with the assaults claiming more than 25 lives.

Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine faces a "shortage" of air defence systems that Russia is exploiting to target critical infrastructure and spread fear among civilians.

The Ukrainian leader has intensified diplomatic efforts to secure additional support, discussing global interceptor stockpiles with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and coordinating with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on obtaining missiles from countries capable of providing them.

Meanwhile, overall military assistance has declined since the United States suspended direct weapons donations, despite increased European support. According to the United Nations, civilian casualties have continued to rise, with 1,396 civilians killed during the first six months of the year—a 37% increase compared with the same period in 2025.

By Vafa Guliyeva