The shortage of interceptors capable of shooting down Russian ballistic missiles in Ukraine has reached a critical level. Meanwhile, Russian industry is producing up to 100 ballistic missiles a month, while Ukraine’s stock of Patriot interceptors is almost exhausted, writes The Economist.
The challenge of intercepting ballistic missiles in Ukraine is even greater than that of intercepting jet drones such as the Geran-4 and Geran-5. In the first eight days of August, only one of the 57 ballistic missiles launched by Russia was shot down.
"Ukraine's stockpile of PAC-3 interceptors - the only truly effective countermeasure against ballistic missiles - is almost exhausted. Russia's production of the most lethal missiles has increased to about 100 per month. That amounts to 60 Iskander-M missiles and 40 PM-48U missiles," the article said.
On August 28, Ukraine reported the shooting down of seven ballistic missiles, a feat achieved thanks to a small number of PAC-3 interceptors purchased from Western allies.
"Larger deliveries are unlikely. Donald Trump's war on Iran has depleted the US's own stockpile of Patriot missiles. "No one wants to part with their own interceptor missiles when there is little prospect of replacing them," the article explains.