Ukraine Uses 35 Patriot Interceptors in October, Gets 12 From US

Ukraine has spent 35 Patriot missiles this month while receiving 12 from the United States, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 28 October.

Speaking to reporters, Zelenskyy said Ukraine gets an average of 12 interceptors a month for its Patriot systems in 2026 and called the supply of those missiles one of the hardest parts of buying weapons from Washington. He said he works daily to secure interceptors and seeks new aid packages every week to counter Russian ballistic attacks. "Europe paid for them, everything arrived, and everything was fine," he said. "But some things are a real challenge, especially Patriot missiles."

Zelenskyy said US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth approved a package of 12 missiles. He called that welcome news, then noted Ukraine's own monthly usage of 35. He said approval is still pending on 23 more missiles that Kyiv obtained from other sources.

The president recounted a meeting with Donald Trump in New York, where he requested a "winter package" of missiles. He told Trump the quantity Ukraine needed and said Kyiv would stop striking oil refineries if the request were granted. When Trump asked where to find such missiles, Zelenskyy said he named the countries holding them. Trump replied that the United States would do what it could but needed the missiles itself and had limited stocks.

These remarks came after a 26 October statement in which Zelenskyy said Kyiv had waited close to a month for Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriot and NASAMS systems, and that he had told his team to take the matter up again with the US side.