Russia’s latest large‑scale missile and drone barrage has laid bare a serious and worsening air‑defence shortage in Ukraine, with officials warning that the country is struggling to intercept high‑speed ballistic missiles due to dwindling supplies of Patriot interceptors. The overnight assault, one of the biggest combined aerial attacks in months, struck Kyiv and surrounding regions just hours before NATO leaders convened in Ankara for a high‑stakes summit focused heavily on European security.
According to Ukrainian military data, Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, including 23 ballistic missiles, none of which Ukraine managed to shoot down. Ballistic missiles travel at extremely high speeds and require advanced systems like the US‑made Patriot to intercept — a capability Ukraine says it is rapidly running out of. In total, Russia fired 68 missiles, including 29 ballistic missiles, all of which reached their intended targets.
Despite the shortage, Ukrainian air‑defence units successfully intercepted more than 90% of the 351 drones involved in the attack and destroyed 37 additional missiles, highlighting both the resilience of Ukraine’s defence network and the growing gaps that Russia is exploiting.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to make an urgent appeal to NATO allies for additional interceptor missiles and advanced air‑defence systems. Kyiv has repeatedly warned Western partners that without immediate resupply, major cities and critical infrastructure will remain dangerously exposed to Russia’s escalating aerial campaign.
The timing of the attack underscores Moscow’s intent to pressure Ukraine and test its defensive limits ahead of key diplomatic discussions. As NATO leaders meet on 7–8 July, Ukraine’s air‑defence crisis is likely to dominate conversations, with allies weighing how quickly they can deliver the systems Kyiv needs to prevent further civilian casualties.