Patriot missile shortage leaves Kyiv vulnerable to Russian ballistic attacks

The Wall Street Journal noted that Ukraine failed to intercept any of the 23 Russian ballistic missiles launched during the overnight attack on Kyiv on July 6.

While Russian forces have made little progress on the battlefield, Moscow appears to be increasingly relying on missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities, the newspaper reported. Ukraine can intercept most long-range Russian drones, but shortages of missile defense interceptors have left it vulnerable to ballistic missile attacks, contributing to a rising civilian death toll.

Russia launched 68 missiles and 351 drones of various types against Ukraine overnight on July 6, with Kyiv as the primary target. According to Ukraine's Air Force, 29 missiles and 18 attack drones struck 34 locations in the capital, while debris from intercepted missiles and drones fell at 16 additional sites.

According to Tymur Tkachenko, the death toll has risen to 15.

Yurii Ihnat, head of communications for Ukraine's Air Force, said Ukrainian air defenses failed to intercept any ballistic missiles during the attack because of a shortage of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems.

On July 2, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov had sent letters to nearly 40 partner countries urging them to urgently transfer interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems from existing stockpiles this month in exchange for future contracted deliveries.