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Ukraine Says Air Defense Missile Deliveries Fell Threefold—Even Though Partners Have the Missiles
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukraine received three times fewer air defense missiles in the first half of 2026 than in the comparable period of 2025, even though partner countries have interceptors available, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on August 5.
The warning followed another massive Russian ballistic missile attack that Ukrainian air defenses were unable to repel, underscoring the severe shortage of interceptors for systems such as Patriot.
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Zelenskyy raised the issue after meeting senior military commanders and representatives of the Defense Ministry, Ukraine’s Security Service, military intelligence, and the Presidential Office.
He said the meeting began with reports on the battlefield situation and Ukraine’s most urgent supply requirements.
“First, the report from Mykhailo Drapatyi, Ihor Skybiuk, and Yevhenii Khmara on the situation at the front and key supply needs,” Zelenskyy said.
I held a meeting with our military, the Ministry of Defense, and the teams of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, and the Office. First, the report from Mykhailo Drapatyi, Ihor Skybiuk, and Yevhenii Khmara on the situation at the front and key… pic.twitter.com/HUiXvXVbHg
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 5, 2026
“The greatest attention right now is, of course, paid to Kostiantynivka and Slovyansk. Mykhailo briefed on the numbers and capabilities of the units deployed in this sector, the key objectives, and the tasks being carried out.”
The officials also reviewed immediate requirements for drones and military funding.
“Yevhenii Khmara outlined the drone and funding needs that must be met immediately,” Zelenskyy said.
“We determined which of our active measures will be implemented in the Donetsk region and in several other sectors of the front. I am grateful to all units for their resilience. We also discussed personnel matters in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
The meeting then turned to additional measures for protecting Ukrainian infrastructure from Russian attacks.
“Second, we determined the sequence of additional steps to protect infrastructure facilities in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.
He warned that deliveries of missiles capable of intercepting ballistic threats had fallen sharply throughout the first six months of the year—not merely during the summer.
“Unfortunately, supplies of anti-ballistic capabilities from partners have decreased significantly this year. The number of air defense missiles supplied has dropped threefold compared with 2025.”
“And this concerns not only this summer period, but every period of the first half of 2026. Our partners do have the missiles.”
Zelenskyy said the remaining obstacle was political approval from partner governments, alongside decisions to accelerate production and establish manufacturing capacity inside Ukraine.
“It is important that the necessary political decisions on supplies and the acceleration of production processes are ultimately made – including decisions on localization in Ukraine.”
“This is something that can tangibly support not only our country, but also to the global protection of life.”
Ukraine relies heavily on US-made Patriot systems to intercept Russian ballistic missiles, which travel too fast for most other air defense platforms. Repeated shortages of Patriot interceptors have left Ukrainian cities increasingly exposed as Russia expands its use of ballistic weapons.
US President Donald Trump rejected a personal request from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for several hundred additional Patriot interceptor missiles, citing depleted American stockpiles and growing defense needs in the Middle East.
In the meantime, reports emerged that a North Korean missile unit has begun deploying to western Russia, where Moscow plans to build a force of up to 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for attacks on Ukraine.
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-4ddd35915b76cab22c469bd64bfca60e.jpg "Newly appointed UK Defense Secretary Wes Streeting during his first official visit to Kyiv. (Source: Suspilne)")
