DID Press: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has raised concerns over a shortage of air defence ammunition, saying the number of Patriot interceptor missiles supplied by the United States falls significantly short of Ukraine’s defence needs.
Zelensky said Ukraine had received only 24 interceptor missiles from the United States for its Patriot air defence systems over the past three months, while the country needs an average of around 350 interceptors per month to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks.
He made the remarks in an interview with ABC News, stressing that every interceptor missile is vital to protecting Ukrainian cities, infrastructure and civilian lives.The Ukrainian president expressed concern over the gap between Ukraine’s air defence requirements and the level of military assistance received from Washington, as Russian missile attacks continue.
To explain the pressure on interceptor missile stockpiles, Zelensky pointed to the extensive use of these weapons in military conflicts involving Iran.“In the first days of the war in the region, around 2,000 interceptor missiles received from regional partners were used,” he added.