Ukraine has run out of missiles for its US-made Patriot air defence systems, leaving the country increasingly vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile attacks
amid escalating tensions between President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, CNN reported, citing a source familiar with the situation. The development follows a Russian missile attack that struck three power plants in Kyiv and targeted energy infrastructure in Kharkiv overnight into Wednesday. Four people were killed and 25 others injured in Kyiv, according to the report. The source told CNN that “almost all the ballistic missiles from the last strike were not intercepted due to lack of the (interceptor) missiles”. Ukraine’s Air Force had previously said it intercepted four Russian ballistic missiles during the attack, indicating that some interceptors were still available. However, the latest disclosure suggests the country’s remaining supplies may have been exhausted. Zelensky Has Repeatedly Warned Of Patriot Shortages For months, Zelensky has warned that Ukraine is running critically low on Patriot interceptor missiles, which are among the few weapons capable of defending against Russian ballistic missiles. The interceptors are expensive and in limited global supply, with demand rising as countries replenish their arsenals and strengthen air defences amid the war involving Iran. In August, Ukrainian officials told CNN that the country had nearly exhausted its Patriot interceptor stocks. Zelensky said at the time that Ukraine possessed only around a tenth of the missiles it urgently needed and that he was making repeated calls to allies to secure additional supplies. A month later, the Ukrainian president said Kyiv would receive a licence from the United States to manufacture Patriot missiles. However, Trump did not confirm the arrangement, and the licence did not materialise. Patriot Shortage Deepens Zelensky Trump Rift The missile shortage has emerged amid a public dispute between Zelensky and Trump over Ukraine’s attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. Washington has reportedly pressed Kyiv to halt strikes on Russian fuel facilities, while Moscow has continued targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. In an interview with the Financial Times, Zelensky said Ukraine could consider stopping its attacks on Russian energy facilities only if it received additional Patriot interceptors as a minimum condition. He also claimed that, when he requested more air defence systems, the US response was to weaken Starlink services. On Wednesday, Zelensky renewed his appeal for military assistance, saying the US president had the necessary tools to bring peace closer through pressure on Russia. The Trump administration has also warned Ukraine and European allies that Washington could suspend European purchases of US weapons and halt intelligence-sharing if Kyiv did not stop its deep strikes on Russian energy facilities, two European officials told CNN. Trump has since denied that the US stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine. Starshield Restrictions Add To Ukraine’s Military Challenges Ukraine is also dealing with disruptions to Starshield, the military-grade satellite communications service associated with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Ukrainian officials said restrictions affected military operations, logistics and efforts to intercept Russian drone attacks. Although service had partially resumed by Thursday, Kyiv said some problems remained. A Ukrainian Defence Ministry source told CNN that Starshield operations had resumed and were continuing, adding that officials were working with the parties involved to establish the circumstances behind the restrictions. Ukraine’s top diplomat in Washington, Denys Sienik, said service speeds had improved but had not fully returned to previous levels. Zelensky said Russia had launched more than 850 attack drones since midnight on Thursday, arguing that Ukraine’s defensive capabilities were being artificially restricted. The combination of dwindling Patriot stocks, uncertainty over military communications and strained relations with Washington has added to the pressure on Kyiv as Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure continue.
