Ukraine Lacked Patriot Missiles to Stop 1 Ballistic Strike on July 6
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 14
Ukraine Lacked Patriot Missiles to Stop 1 Ballistic Strike on July 6
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 14
Summary
July 6 exposed a critical air-defense gap: President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine shot down drones and cruise missiles but lacked enough Patriot interceptors to stop a single Russian ballistic missile.
Patriot shortages have become more acute as Russia intensifies aerial barrages and produces about 60 Iskander ballistic missiles a month, according to Ukrainian military intelligence.
The imbalance is sharpening what Zelensky calls a decisive "battle in the sky" as the ground war stalls, with Russia still gaining territory only slowly and at heavy cost.
Ukraine is answering with longer-range drone strikes on Russian oil and military sites, but the article argues Western ability to supply more air defenses could now shape the war's next phase.