From 2022 to 2026, Ukraine received about 620 Patriot air defense missiles from its Western allies, Dmitry Litvin, an adviser to Vladimir Zelensky, said in an interview with The New York Times.

The article notes that a single Patriot interceptor costs more than $3 million. Because of that price tag, the Ukrainian military has been trying to rely more often on cheaper air defense tools. These include air-to-air missiles launched from F-16 Fighting Falcon jets, Ukrainian-made interceptor drones, electronic warfare systems, and even heavy machine guns.

According to The New York Times, Ukraine’s shortage of Patriot missiles could deepen in the near future. One reason is that a large number of these interceptors has already been used in the Middle East. During the first week of the conflict there alone, around 800 missiles were reportedly expended.

At the same time, Litvin’s figures appear questionable. Recently, European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said Ukraine had used roughly 700 Patriot missiles over the past winter alone.

Earlier media reports said Washington was unlikely to keep supplying Kiev with the Patriot missiles requested by the Ukrainian leadership. The reason is limited U.S. stockpiles: the interceptors are also needed for operations against Iran and for the defense of allied countries in the Arab world.