CNN: Ukraine has run out of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems
Ukraine has run out of interceptors for its US-made Patriot systems, so most ballistic missiles in the latest Russian strike were not shot down, CNN reports. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned of the shortage for several months.
Ukraine has run out of interceptor missiles for US-made Patriot air defence systems, leaving the country more exposed to Russian ballistic missile attacks, CNN reports, citing a source familiar with the situation. The development matters because Patriot is one of the few systems able to shoot down ballistic missiles, while Russia keeps targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Consequences of the latest strike
The source told CNN that almost all ballistic missiles from the most recent Russian strike were not intercepted because interceptors were lacking. In that attack, Russian missiles hit three power plants in Kyiv and also targeted energy infrastructure in Kharkiv. Four people were killed in Kyiv that day and 25 were injured.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly warned for several months that the country is running out of US-made Patriot interceptors.
Background: the dispute over an "energy ceasefire"
On 11 October, US President Donald Trump stated on his social media platform Truth Social that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to an immediate ceasefire on energy targets. Zelenskyy responded that he knew nothing about such a ceasefire. He later said that after Trump's announcement, Russian forces struck the CHP-5 combined heat and power plant in Kharkiv and a power plant in Kyiv.
On 13 October, Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine had not struck Russian oil refineries or energy facilities for two days, in response to Trump's proposal. Meanwhile, Russia continued to attack both Ukrainian energy facilities and critical infrastructure.
