Ukraine faces critical shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles

Ukraine has faced a critical shortage of PAC-3 interceptor missiles for its US-supplied Patriot air defence systems, leaving some launchers temporarily empty and unable to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks on key energy infrastructure, according to a Financial Times report and statements from Ukrainian officials.

Colonel Yurii Ihnat, Head of the Communications Department of the Ukrainian Air Force Command, said the country’s air defence network is under severe strain as missile expenditures outpace deliveries from international partners, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media. 

“Some air defence systems sometimes stand empty while attacks still need to be repelled,” Ihnat said, underscoring the challenges faced by Ukrainian air defenders.

According to the Financial Times, the shortage reached a critical point last month when Patriot systems were unable to respond as Russian ballistic missiles struck Ukrainian power plants without interception.

Since the beginning of 2026, Russian forces have conducted 217 attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector, part of what Ukrainian officials describe as a broader strategy to cripple civilian infrastructure during winter months. The Kremlin’s objective, Kyiv says, is to freeze the population and pressure Ukraine’s leadership into capitulation.

Despite frequent power outages and a heavily strained energy system, public opinion surveys conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology indicate that the attacks have not weakened Ukrainian public resolve or generated widespread support for concessions to Russia.

Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly called on Western allies to accelerate deliveries of air defence systems and interceptor missiles. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that delays in weapons supplies directly undermine the country’s ability to protect critical infrastructure from ongoing ballistic missile threats.

On January 16, Zelenskyy announced the arrival of a new batch of air defence missiles. On January 24, he confirmed an agreement with the United States to supply additional PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems.

In early February, Pavel Palisa, Deputy Head of the President’s Office, stated that Ukraine had expended 25 PAC-3 missiles to repel the “last big strike,” nearly half of the approximately 55 missiles the United States is capable of producing each month.

This week, Zelenskyy publicly criticised the performance of the Ukrainian Air Force and announced forthcoming personnel changes, signaling heightened pressure on military leadership as Ukraine continues to confront intensified aerial attacks.

By Sabina Mammadli