Ukraine regularly uses up its Patriot missiles but receives new shipments — FT

Ukraine regularly uses interceptor missiles for its Patriot air defense systems during Russian attacks. However, new shipments of ammunition arrive afterward. According to the journalist, this situation has been recurring since at least the beginning of summer. Ukraine receives missiles in small batches, so existing ammunition often runs out before the end of the month.

The U.S. is supplying missiles in small batches

In a post on social media platform X, Miller explained that the U.S. is supplying Ukraine with PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles as they are produced. Deliveries arrive in small batches, and sometimes Kyiv receives only five to 15 interceptors at a time. As a result, stocks can deplete quickly during massive Russian strikes. According to the journalist, it is not uncommon for the missiles to run out after the first Russian missile attacks of the month.

“We could practically write every month that Ukraine has run out of missiles for the Patriot system, since that is often exactly what happens after the first Russian attacks each month,” Miller noted. He emphasized that reports of stockpiles running out at a given moment do not necessarily mean a complete halt in supplies. According to him, after using up its available missiles, Ukraine receives new shipments.

What CNN and The Washington Post reported

Miller’s statement was a response to a report by CNN anchor Jim Sciutto. The day before, Sciutto had previewed a CNN segment claiming that Ukraine’s stockpile of Patriot missiles had been completely depleted. According to CNN, citing a source familiar with the situation, Ukraine’s air defense forces allowed nearly all ballistic missiles to pass through during the latest large-scale Russian strike due to a shortage of interceptors.

The Washington Post also reported on the critical shortage of missiles. According to the publication, a Ukrainian official said that on October 7, Kyiv had only ten Patriot missiles left. After subsequent Russian attacks, the stockpile dwindled to just a few interceptors. Another source cited by the newspaper claimed that the missiles had run out completely. At the same time, these reports describe the stock situation at a specific moment and do not necessarily indicate that new deliveries have ceased.

NATO says deliveries are continuing

Despite reports of a critical shortage of missiles, a high-ranking NATO official assured The Washington Post that deliveries of interceptors to Ukraine are continuing. According to him, missiles are arriving, in particular, under the PURL program. Under this scheme, European countries pay for American weapons for Ukraine, which are then supplied from the U.S.

At the same time, the mere fact that deliveries are continuing does not mean that Ukraine is receiving enough missiles to repel all attacks. If new shipments are small and Russia launches a large number of ballistic and other missiles, Ukraine’s air defense forces may once again face a severe shortage of interceptors. The Financial Times reported on a serious shortage of missiles for the Patriot system in Ukraine as early as August. Recent reports have once again drawn attention to the problem: existing stocks could run out quickly, while replenishment depends on the volume and pace of deliveries.

Therefore, reports that the missiles have run out should be considered in the context of the time period to which they refer. According to Miller and a NATO representative, deliveries are continuing, but Ukraine regularly faces a shortage of interceptors amid Russian attacks. Financial Times correspondent Christopher Miller wrote about this while commenting on a report by the American television network CNN regarding the alleged complete depletion of stocks of such missiles.