Ukraine Exhausts Patriot Interceptor Stocks, Leaving It Exposed to Russian Ballistic Missiles
Ukraine has exhausted its US-made Patriot interceptors, leaving its skies even more exposed to Russian ballistic missiles, a source told CNN on Thursday, Oct. 15. The shortage comes as Kyiv faces significant tensions with Washington over refinery strikes, US President Donald Trump’s controversial diesel deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Elon Musk’s Starshield restrictions.
Ukraine has exhausted its stocks of US-made Patriot interceptor missiles, leaving it vulnerable to Russian ballistic missiles, according to a source familiar with the situation. The lack of interceptors was particularly evident during Russia's recent large-scale attack on October 14, which hit power plants in Kyiv and energy facilities in Kharkiv, resulting in four casualties and over 25 injuries.
Ukraine's Air Force reportedly downed four Russian ballistic missiles during that attack, suggesting that the last remaining Patriots may have been used up. Patriot interceptors are currently scarce worldwide, with many nations having depleted their stocks or seeking to replenish them amid the war in Iran and Russia's aggressive stance toward Europe.
The PAC-3 ACE, a more cost-effective version of the Patriot interceptor, was introduced by Lockheed Martin in July 2020, with initial production expected to begin within 36 months. However, the high cost of these interceptors, at around $4 million per missile, coupled with their rapid expenditure during prolonged operations, has added to the country's challenges.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
