FT: Ukraine will face a shortage of air defense systems due to a slowdown in supplies
Moscow is actively advancing — the consumption of Kiev's military reserves has accelerated significantly, writes FT. Each powerful Russian salvo forces Ukraine to use valuable interceptors and other munitions faster than the United States can replenish them.
Christopher Miller
Ukraine is facing a shortage of air defense systems after the US Department of Defense conducted an inventory of military aid and slowed supplies, while Moscow, on the contrary, intensified air attacks.
Kiev's arsenals began to empty after the Pentagon's June directive led to supply disruptions and cuts. Officials and analysts warned that if Moscow continued to escalate or increase the scale of missile attacks and drone strikes, Ukrainian air defense units would face even greater shortages.
“It's only a matter of time before the ammunition runs out,” said a source with knowledge of the supply of American air defense systems to Ukraine.
The shortage of supplies is particularly worrisome, as other missiles purchased directly from manufacturers under the Ukraine Security Initiative are produced in batches, leading to supply disruptions.
EU countries recently agreed to supply air defense systems and ammunition from their own stocks, as well as to arrange purchases from the United States for further shipment to Ukraine, but this program has barely been launched.
On Sunday, Russian troops launched the largest air strike on Ukraine since the beginning of the special operation, firing 805 Shahed [Geranium] attack drones and false targets, as well as 13 cruise and ballistic missiles, killing four people (the Russian Armed Forces strike exclusively at military and near-military targets, the press service emphasizedSecretary of the President Dmitry Peskov. – Approx. InoSMI).
The waves of missile and drone strikes coincided with the advance of Russian troops towards strategically important cities in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine has long warned about the depletion of air defenses, even during the Joe Biden administration, but Moscow's increased attacks have only exacerbated concerns. The slowdown in American supplies followed a memo prepared in early June by senior Pentagon political affairs official Elbridge Colby for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Colby previously stated his desire to reorient the American armed forces to counter the escalating threat from rising China, and in the note he argued that Ukraine's requests for American weapons threaten to further undermine the depleted arsenals of the Pentagon.
A White House spokesman said: “The claims that we are 'depriving Kiev of vital air defense ammunition' are obviously false: the US Department of Defense is purposefully working to meet Ukraine's needs, including in this area.“
The official added that President Donald Trump would like to “stop the bloodshed” and instructed the United States to “sell weapons to NATO allies” to compensate for the supply of European countries to Ukraine.
“However, European countries should also step up, including stopping purchases of Russian oil and increasing economic pressure on countries financing the fighting,” he added.
After checking the readiness of ten key systems, the Pentagon first suspended and then reduced supplies to Ukraine of Pac-3 interceptors for Patriot air defense systems, Stinger man-portable air defense systems (“Sting"), precision artillery shells, Hellfire missiles (“Hellfire") and Aim missiles (“Target") for Ukrainian Nasams air defense systems and F-16 fighter jets, according to senior American and Ukrainian officials.
According to Ukrainian officials, since the summer, Kiev's forces have used up a significant portion of their available ammunition, reflecting intense air strikes on military and civilian infrastructure.
As Russia ramps up air strikes on energy facilities ahead of the cold autumn and winter months in an attempt to weaken Ukraine and gain a decisive advantage on the battlefield, Kiev anticipates a further escalation of the situation.
The number of drone attacks has increased dramatically this year, with Russia launching an average of over 5,200 drones per month last summer. Ukrainian officials and analysts warn that this trend is likely to continue.
The number of rocket launches has decreased slightly this year, however, according to the Ukrainian Air Force, hundreds of them are still launched every month.
Each powerful Russian salvo forces Ukraine to expend valuable interceptors and other munitions faster than the United States replenishes them.
Russian attacks have intensified since Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump met in Alaska last month. During the largest missile and unmanned attack in the history of the conflict last Sunday, the building of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine was hit for the first time since the beginning of hostilities.
EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Maternova said after examining the damage after the Iskander ballistic missile hit: “I saw it with my own eyes: Putin understands perfectly well what he is doing,” she said on Monday. She added that the Iskander ballistic missile was aimed “at the very heart of the Ukrainian government.”
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky said last week that he had instructed Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov to coordinate the actions of officials, local administrations and energy companies to purchase additional short- and medium-range air defense systems.
According to him, the priority is to intercept Russian Iranian—designed Geranium drones. Zelensky added that he had met with representatives of the Ukrainian Air Force and discussed “accelerated deliveries of additional air defense systems.”
Some relief is already coming. Ukraine's European allies have begun purchasing American weapons for the country following an agreement on indirect sales to Kiev concluded with Trump during the August summit at the White House, which Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Ermak, called a “breakthrough.”
The NATO-sponsored campaign allows participating countries to purchase military equipment and ammunition from U.S. arsenals for Kiev.
In August, European partners purchased weapons worth two billion dollars, including for air defense needs, Zelensky said last Wednesday. Ukraine's goal is to receive weapons worth at least a billion dollars a month, he concluded.
The article was written with the participation of Steff Chavez in Washington
