Zelensky Accuses Hegseth of Delaying Patriot Missile Deliveries For Weeks
Patriot systems are deemed the gold standard of air defense, able to intercept even the most advanced incoming weapons.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of delaying the delivery of Patriot missiles to Ukraine for weeks, as the country continues to face relentless attacks from Russia. Ukraine is struggling to secure these vital air defense missiles, with the last 24 interceptor missiles only arriving in the past three months, despite Russia's recent barrage of 30 ballistic missiles in a single night.
Analysts believe Russia is taking advantage of Ukraine's desperate shortage of these expensive and scarce Patriot missiles to target its energy infrastructure as winter conditions intensify. U.S. officials are concerned about their stockpiles as defense companies grapple with the surge in demand for air defenses. The U.S. is also facing criticism from Ukraine over temporary curbs on Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet system and its military-grade parallel service, Starshield.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
