Ukraine’s leader said the country’s lack of Patriot missiles was costing lives after Russian airstrikes targeting Kyiv killed 17 and injured more than 40 on Thursday.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has long urged allies to replenish Kyiv’s stock of Patriots — one of the only weapons capable of downing ballistic missiles — but “the world’s response… is not always adequate,” he said.
Ukraine has “pretty much run out of interceptors,” CNN reported, underscoring a global supply crunch of the sought-after air defense system.
While the White House agreed in July to grant Ukraine a license to build Patriots, manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are stalling a joint-production deal as executives weigh feasibility and licensing hits red tape, DefenseNews reported.