UKRAINE, KYIV, Jul. 6 — The Ukrainian military was unable to down any Russian ballistic missiles during the overnight attack on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, because of a shortage of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems, Yurii Ihnat, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Air Force, said in the ether during the national telethon.

Today, Russia launched 68 missiles and 351 drones of different types at Kyiv, killing 11 people, injuring 46 others. Russia launched its drones and missiles from the Bryansk, Kursk, Oryol and Vologda regions, the city of Novorossiysk, and Russian-occupied territory in Donetsk oblast, reported Militarnyi, Ukrainian defense media outlet.

Ukrainian air defenses downed Russian 31 Kh-101 cruise missiles and all six Kalibr cruise missiles. As of this morning, Kyiv authorities reported on Russian airstrikes across 34 locations in the city, with 29 ballistic and anti-ship missiles — which Russia also uses to attack Ukrainian cities — and 18 kamikaze drones hitting targets. 

According to Ihnat, Russia’s military command is deliberately exploiting Ukraine’s shortage of interceptor missiles and is relying primarily on ballistic weapons. Intercepting such targets is significantly more difficult than shooting down cruise missiles or drones.

Mykhailo Fedorov, the Minister of Defense, also commented on the critical shortage of air interceptor missiles. He said that Ukraine has already signed and continues to sign new contracts to purchase missiles for Patriot systems.

However, Fedorov said the implementation of those contracts and direct deliveries will begin only next year. Because of that, Ukraine has asked its international partners to urgently provide missiles from their existing stocks. In return, Fedorov said, Ukraine offered to replace those missiles with those that will be delivered to Ukraine in the future.

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