In Ukraine, concern is growing over the consequences of the US and Israeli military operation against Iran, which, according to reports, has led to a significant depletion of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems.

Ukrainian sources note that the simultaneous development of several large-scale conflicts is increasing competition for air defense resources. The main issue for Ukraine in the near term is not the wait for new Patriot systems, but the acute shortage of missiles for those already in service.

According to Western media, more than 1,000 PAC-3 interceptors have been used during recent operations, with the real number potentially higher due to the practice of launching multiple interceptors at a single target. Ukraine has previously stated it received around 600 such missiles in total, roughly equivalent to annual production levels.

Ukrainian military sources say that as the Middle East conflict drags on, the shortage problem will worsen. The United States is expected to prioritize the protection of its own forces and allies in the region, while the cost of Patriot missiles is already rising. Even if hostilities decrease, Persian Gulf countries are likely to replenish stocks and build reserves in case of renewed escalation.

Ukrainian military analyst and serviceman of the 413th SBS «Raid» Regiment Ivan Kirichevsky warned that in the short term Ukraine could face a situation where even limited numbers of Patriot missiles may not be available in either Europe or the United States. He считает that this poses serious risks, especially as Russia is able to increase production of ballistic missiles faster than interceptor production can keep pace.

At the same time, he suggested that shortages could push Ukraine to improve efficiency and accelerate the development of its own anti-missile systems. However, such assessments also reflect an understanding that the effectiveness of Patriot systems depends directly on the availability of sufficient interceptor missiles.