Exclusive: Ukraine runs out of Patriot interceptor missiles as Zelensky and Trump clash over war

CNN ^ | October 15, 2026 | Victoria Butenko, Lauren Kent

[MinorityRepublican]

Ukraine has run out of missiles for the US-made Patriot air defense system, leaving it more vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile attacks, a source familiar with the situation told CNN on Thursday. The stark development comes amid an increasingly bitter public feud between US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. In recent days, the White House struck a highly criticized deal to import Russian diesel and heaped increasing pressure on Ukraine to halt its strikes on Russia’s oil infrastructure.

Zelensky said he felt betrayed by Trump’s deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has since announced Ukraine would continue striking Russian refineries.

For months, Zelensky has repeatedly warned that Ukraine is running out of the US-made Patriot interceptor missiles, which are one of the few defensive weapons capable of knocking down a ballistic missile.

But the interceptors are both expensive and in short supply globally, as other countries have burned through their stockpiles or sought to shore up their own defense systems amid the war in Iran.

The source told CNN that “almost all the ballistic missiles from the last strike were not intercepted due to lack of the (interceptor) missiles.”

Russian ballistic missiles hit three power plants in Kyiv and targeted energy infrastructure in Kharkiv during that attack overnight into Wednesday morning. Four people in Kyiv were killed and 25 injured on that day.

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TOPICS: Ukraine
KEYWORDS: bidencrimefamily; burisma; globohomo; hunterbidenslaptop; putinstoogery; russianbotnet; tds; usnotyoursugardaddy

[Mariner]

Now that Russia knows they have no obstacle and their missiles will hit their targets...expect to see a lot more of them.

And less collateral damage.

[Brian Griffin]

The front page of the “New York Times” had two articles complaining about high fuel prices.

[ClearCase_guy]

If the Republicans hold on to the House and the Senate, I think the struggles in both both Ukraine and Iran will come to quick conclusions.

[montag813]

So? WE are out of them too from the conflict with Iran!

[JoSixChip]

Sucks to be Ukraine. I hope the zman’s reign ends tonight.

[BobL]

Ukraine ain’t the only country running out of Patriots.

[House Atreides]

“ Now that Russia knows they have no obstacle and their missiles will hit their targets...expect to see a lot more of them.

And less collateral damage.”
**************************************************

Correct. Some folks don’t realize that an unknown percent of “civilian” damage and casualties are caused by falling interceptor missile parts and/or parts of intercepted missiles away from the intended target,

[voicereason]

If the Republicans hold on to the House and the Senate, I think the struggles in both both Ukraine and Iran will come to quick conclusions.

Then how will money be laundered back into the pockets of elected officials?

[rdcbn1]

The cynical EU nations are dribbling financial and military aid to Ukraine that is not even sufficient to keep Ukraine in the fight indefinitely

The EU is giving Ukraine just enough to keep the Ukraine from near term military and financial collapse

The Ukraine 🇺🇦 s in a doom loop that it cannot recover from and the Ukrainian economy is being driven into the ground so deeply they will needs decades to recover

[Sacajaweau]

Whatever happened to licensing Ukraine to produce them themselves?

[MinorityRepublican]

The EU is giving Ukraine just enough to keep the Ukraine from near term military and financial collapse

Their plan is to have the Democrats take over Congress in November and then in 2028, a Democrat will take the White House.

[rdcbn1]

Of course they are - and it may work

[Allegra]

Trump hitting Zelensky hard this evening. Telling it like it is:

https://x.com/nicksortor/status/2110892857871478796?s=46

[bosco24]

Six European countries have 35 Patriot Missile Batteries with 24 Patriot missles per battery.

They are not using theirs so they should give them to Ukriane. We may need ours for ourselves.

[Colinsky]

an unknown percent of “civilian” damage and casualties are caused by falling interceptor missile parts and/or parts of intercepted missiles away from the intended target.

The original purpose of the Patriot missile was to deflect incoming missiles away from an important command center, with no concern over the deflected missiles landing on the homes of the peasants.

[Colorado Doug]

oopsie. I guess he should have thought about that before he opened his big mouth again

[bicyclerepair]

I voted for the guy who said he could easily end this war in a day during campaign rallies.

[No.6]

>I voted for the guy who said he could easily end this war in a day during campaign rallies.

and now that the EU, Z, and the Dems have held fast to their corruption and grift rather than find peace, you’ll ... ?

[RAldrich]

Well, Ukraine will just have to suck it up and absorb the punishment, then.

Zelenski got his orders from Svoboda, Right Sector, the punjabs leading the EU, Boris Johnson, US neo-cons…

If he wants to stay alive, he’ll do what he’s told.