CNN: Ukraine Has Run Out of Patriot Interceptor Missiles, Ballistic Missiles in Latest Attack Went Unintercepted

Ukraine has run out of interceptor missiles for the US-made Patriot air defence system, US broadcaster CNN reported on Thursday, citing a well-informed source. This leaves the country with limited means to defend itself against Russian ballistic missile strikes, which during the war have hit energy infrastructure and civilians alike.

The attack and its consequences

The CNN source said that almost all ballistic missiles fired in the latest attack were not intercepted because of the shortage of interceptors. Overnight into Wednesday, Russia used ballistic missiles to hit three power plants in Kyiv and energy infrastructure in Kharkiv. In Kyiv, four people were killed and 25 were injured that day.

After the strikes, electricity was cut in several districts of Kyiv and the Kyiv region, Ukraine's Energy Ministry announced on Friday. Specialists will begin restoring power once the air raid alert ends. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that, because of the power problems, water pressure had dropped in the water supply system on the right bank of the Dnipro in Kyiv.

A long-running shortage

Patriot is one of the few weapons capable of shooting down ballistic missiles. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned repeatedly for several months about the shortage. The missiles are expensive and global supply is limited, as other countries have used up their stocks or tried to strengthen their own defences in connection with the war in Iran.

This is not the first time Ukraine has fully exhausted its Patriot interceptor reserves. In August, Zelensky told CNN he spends his days on phone calls with allies to agree on purchasing additional Patriot missiles. At that time he said Ukraine had only a tenth of the interceptors it urgently needed.