Nine Killed in Russian Missile Strikes as Trump Walks Back Ukraine Patriot Pledge

Russia's ballistic missile attacks on Ukraine killed at least nine people and injured dozens on August 2, 2026, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump seemed to backtrack on his commitment to grant Ukraine a license for Patriot missile production. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that only one Russian ballistic missile was intercepted overnight, attributing the low number to a critical shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles.

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simply because there are no interceptors for the Patriot systems.

Zelensky highlighted that this scarcity of interceptors emboldens Russia to continue its attacks, which have targeted over 1,500 sites, including residential buildings, in the past week. Russia reportedly fired 35 missiles, including 27 ballistic missiles, and 185 drones overnight. "It is this shortage of ballistic missile interceptors that only encourages Russia to launch such attacks that take human lives," Zelensky stated.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha issued urgent appeals for more missiles, emphasizing that air superiority is crucial for the war's trajectory. "The stronger the air shield over Ukraine, the closer peace becomes," he said.

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it is this shortage of ballistic missile interceptors that only encourages Russia to launch such attacks that take human lives.

President Zelensky also noted that Russia is intensifying its defense industry, particularly in ballistic missile production, due to Ukraine's limited air defense capabilities. He pointed out that a significant number of Russian enterprises involved in producing components for drones, missiles, and guided aerial bombs have not yet faced sanctions. "That is why the aggressor is investing more and more in its ballistic weapons capability and is trying to ramp up production," Zelensky wrote on X/Twitter.

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The stronger the air shield over Ukraine, the closer peace becomes.

On Friday, Trump stated during a Cabinet meeting that giving away Patriot technology is a "hard thing to do" and that the U.S. has "not agreed to that," despite his earlier pledge made in July at the NATO summit. This apparent retraction comes as Ukraine faces increasing pressure from Russian missile and drone assaults.

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A significant number of Russian enterprises working to sustain these attacks by producing components for drones, missiles, and guided aerial bombs have still not been sanctioned.