Zelensky: Ukraine critically short of air defense missiles as Russia ramps up Iskander strikes

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his country is facing an acute shortage of air defense missiles, and that sanctions against Russia's defense industry have failed to slow Moscow's production of ballistic missiles. He made the remarks in an interview with Sky News.

According to Zelensky, Russia is increasingly relying on ballistic missiles to strike major Ukrainian cities. Just last week, 40 such missiles were fired at Kyiv within a single hour. Intercepting a ballistic attack is far more difficult than shooting down cruise missiles or drones: a ballistic missile follows a parabolic trajectory and descends at several times the speed of sound, demanding extremely precise targeting from air defense systems. Cruise missiles and drones, by contrast, fly more slowly, giving defenders more time to react.

Zelensky linked the shortage of air defense systems to the conflict in the Middle East. "I understand the root of the problem. I understand that relations between the US and Middle Eastern countries matter, and that the Americans are focused on that region. But for us, this is a major problem," the Ukrainian president said.

He added that Kyiv is working with European partners, the United States and other countries to address the issue, calling the situation "a serious challenge for Ukraine."

The Telegraph previously reported that even if Ukraine obtains a license to produce Patriot missiles, this won't resolve the situation this year or next — setting up domestic production requires time, money and considerable effort. Dmytro Zhmailo, deputy head of Ukraine's Center for Security and Cooperation, confirmed that a full or partial production cycle, with most components manufactured in Ukraine, would only be feasible once production lines are built, personnel are trained, and technology is transferred.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz