Nato urgently sends air defence to Ukraine as Russia surges missiles

Nato is racing to supply Ukraine with air defence systems it "urgently needs" after Kyiv failed to shoot down a single Russian ballistic missile in a deadly overnight attack, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Moscow is dramatically increasing its missile production ahead of winter.

In a pre-dawn assault on Wednesday, Russia launched 24 ballistic missiles and 115 drones at Ukraine, killing at least 17 people. Preliminary data from the Ukrainian air force showed that 98 of the drones were intercepted, but none of the ballistic missiles got through.

Deadly Strike Exposes Patriot Shortage

The attack hit a goods storage facility in Kyiv, where rescue workers sifted through the rubble. It laid bare a growing vulnerability: Ukraine lacks enough US-made Patriot interceptor missiles to defend against Russian ballistic missiles like the Iskander-M, S-400 and Zircon, the only systems in Ukrainian service capable of shooting them down.

Russia often pairs ballistic missiles with cruise missiles, drones and decoys to overwhelm air defences. With too few Patriot batteries and interceptors, Ukrainian commanders are forced to ration their scarce resources. Moscow has pummelled Kyiv on average every three days in July alone, and the pressure shows no sign of easing.

Zelenskyy Calls for Faster Decisions

Speaking after a National Security and Defense Council meeting on winter resilience, Zelenskyy said allied supplies of air defence missiles had fallen to a third of 2025 levels in the first half of the year. He urged partners to "cut through all red tape and make the necessary political decisions."

"Literally every day, people's lives here in Ukraine depend on the resolve of our partners in Europe and the United States," he said. The president also suggested, without offering evidence, that stalling missile supplies might be an attempt to push Ukraine toward compromise in peace talks with Russia.

Global Demand Strains Interceptor Supplies

The shortage of interceptors has been aggravated by the US-Israel war on Iran, which has consumed vast numbers of Patriot and other interceptor missiles. An analysis by the Associated Press estimated that the US Patriot inventory has fallen by at least 65% since before the conflict. While the Pentagon insists it retains a deep arsenal, production cannot immediately close the gap. Lockheed Martin delivered more than 600 of its newest interceptors in 2025 and aims to reach an annual capacity of 2,000 by 2030—far short of current demand.

Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine's president on defence technology, estimated that Russia is capable of launching 100 ballistic missiles every month to hit logistics hubs, industrial facilities, food stores and warehouses. "The war of attrition has entered its next phase," he wrote on Telegram.

Winter Threat Looms

As winter approaches, Ukrainian officials expect Russia to renew its campaign against the country's energy infrastructure. The need for air defence is more urgent than ever. Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance is working to provide Ukraine what it "urgently needs," but the speed of delivery remains a critical question. The coming weeks will test whether western allies can turn promises into concrete action in time to protect Ukrainian cities and power grid from the expected onslaught.