BRUSSELS — Ukraine is racing to protect its skies from Russian missiles, but it’s running out of options — and money — to source new interceptors. Kyiv has launched a fresh campaign asking Western partners for air defense equipment and cash amid growing fears that Moscow will dramatically ramp up its missile attacks this winter. But a series of meetings this week — from an informal gathering of EU defense ministers to a special meeting of NATO ambassadors — all came up empty.
Countries with stocks of PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptors for U.S.-made Patriots — ranging from Greece and Spain to Japan and South Korea — are hanging on to their own supplies and balking at giving them to Kyiv. Despite Ukraine's efforts to get more cash for defense purchases, there is a global squeeze on interceptors as the U.S. is scrambling to rebuild its own stocks after firing hundreds of missiles against Iran. The production of missile interceptors for Patriots and rival systems is also backlogged.
Ukraine’s inability to beef up its air defenses comes as Moscow last week said it was preparing “massive strikes” against Kyiv’s energy infrastructure, with Ukrainian cities already struggling to intercept Russia's daily missile barrage. Meanwhile, Ukrainian intelligence has warned the Kremlin is eyeing up new ground offensives. Kyiv is growing increasingly annoyed at dwindling transfers of critical weapons.
But “it’s an endless, frustrating saga when you have to beg for every single unit” that is delivered. With Kyiv’s stocks of Patriots effectively at zero, the Ukrainian government official explained, NATO’s PURL scheme — where allied countries buy critical U.S. arms — remains the “only credible source” of Patriots. In July, Kyiv said 95 percent of its stock arrived through that program.
However, that amounts to roughly “10 to 20 missiles per month,” said Dmytro Zhmailo, a military expert and deputy head of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre think tank, far short of what Kyiv needs given Russia fired 195 missiles in July alone. Adding to Ukraine's air defense problems, Russia is increasingly deploying upgraded jet-powered Shahed drones which fly faster and lower, making them difficult to shoot down, Zhmailo said. Kyiv is testing four prototypes to tackle the new drones, but for now it relies on limited stocks of expensive anti-aircraft missiles and artillery systems, he added.
Zelenskyy has said Kyiv needs 300 Patriot interceptors to get through the winter. But more broadly, it also wants AMRAAM, IRIS-T and AIM-9X air-to-air missiles, as well as HAWK systems that are particularly effective against jet-powered drones, the official said. Germany, which is hosting a virtual meeting of European countries to drum up support for more aid on Sept. 8, is expected to announce the delivery of new IRIS-T air defense missiles this month.
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