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Ukraine Reports Patriot Missile Depletion; Trump Questions Production License
🇰🇼 Kuwait /Conflict & Security

Ukraine Reports Patriot Missile Depletion; Trump Questions Production License

From Arab Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has depleted its stock of US-made Patriot interceptor missiles.
  • He renewed an urgent appeal to Western allies for enhanced air defense capabilities against ongoing Russian attacks.
  • Meanwhile, Russia accused Ukraine of attacking a civilian cargo vessel in the Black Sea, which sank with its crew rescued.

Ukraine has reportedly run out of its supply of U.S.-made Patriot interceptor missiles, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He issued a renewed urgent plea to Western allies on Friday, calling for strengthened air defense systems to counter persistent Russian assaults.

Only one ballistic missile was shot down tonight simply because there are no missiles for the Patriot systems.

— Volodymyr ZelenskyyExplaining Ukraine's limited success in intercepting Russian missiles due to a lack of Patriot interceptors.

Zelenskyy indicated that Ukraine's diminishing air defense capacity has severely hampered its ability to intercept incoming ballistic missiles. "Only one ballistic missile was shot down tonight simply because there are no missiles for the Patriot systems," he stated, highlighting the critical shortage.

The appeal comes as U.S. President Donald Trump expressed uncertainty about authorizing Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors under a production license. Trump told the Financial Times, "I'm not sure" the U.S. would permit domestic production, stating, "I'm not looking for missiles. We're looking for peace." He mentioned that envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff would soon visit Ukraine.

I'm not sure.

— Donald TrumpExpressing doubt about the U.S. authorizing domestic production of Patriot missiles in Ukraine.

In a separate development, Russia accused Ukraine of attacking a civilian cargo vessel, the Fesco-operated Yanina, in the Black Sea. Russian state nuclear agency head Alexey Likhachev reported the ship sank approximately 210 kilometers from Novorossiysk after what he described as a Ukrainian strike. All 17 crew members were reportedly rescued and are in satisfactory condition. Claims from both Ukrainian and Russian authorities could not be independently verified due to the ongoing conflict.

I'm not looking for missiles. We're looking for peace.

— Donald TrumpStating his priority is peace rather than increasing missile production.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Arab Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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