Ukraine faces air defence squeeze as Iran war burns supplies

Authorities in Kyiv have been astonished at Gulf states deploying PAC-3s to bring down low-cost drones.  Read more at straitstimes.com.

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KYIV – Ukraine may face depleted air defences as the US-led war with Iran burns through global stockpiles of Patriot missiles, the most valuable weapon Kyiv has in its arsenal against relentless Russian attacks. 

Iran has launched more than 2,100 attack drones and at least 688 ballistic missiles since the war began, according to a Bloomberg analysis.

That’s prompted the US and its allies to fire more than 1,000 PAC-3 interceptors, putting a strain on supplies worldwide and raising fears about how quickly they can be replaced.

For President Volodymyr Zelensky, it also means his country’s allies, including the US, may keep a tighter grip on their own missiles.

The Ukrainian leader said Kyiv has received 600 PAC-3 missiles in total since Russia invaded his country four years ago – fewer than the number fired in the Gulf region in the last 11 days.