Zelensky: More Patriot missiles were used in three days of fighting in the Middle East than Ukraine has received since 2022
More than 800 Patriot missiles have been used in just three days of fighting in the Middle East — more than Ukraine received in the entire duration of the full-scale Russian invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference on March 5.
Patriot system/PHOTO:X
The statement comes amid escalating tensions in the region after the United States, in a joint operation with Israel, launched strikes on several cities in Iran on February 28. As a result of the attacks, Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed.
“Ukraine has never had such a large number of missiles to repel attacks. More than 800 have been used in the last three days alone”Zelensky stated.
The Ukrainian president recalled that when Ukraine first faced Iran's Shahed drones in 2022, the military used “everything at its disposal” to repel the attacks. He added, however, that in the meantime, Ukraine has accumulated significant experience in countering these strikes.
“Everyone understands that Patriot missiles are not enough”Zelensky said.
He reiterated that Ukraine is ready to offer drone interceptors in exchange for missiles, but did not specify which countries could be involved in such an exchange.
Zelensky added that Ukraine is willing to share its experience with states facing Iranian attacks to help protect civilians and oil infrastructure in the Middle East.
Patriot interceptor missiles, made in the United States, are among the few systems capable of effectively intercepting the ballistic missiles used by Russia in its attacks on Ukraine.
The latest variant of these interceptors is the Patriot PAC-3. Unlike its predecessor, the Patriot PAC-2 GEM-T, the PAC-3 variant uses “hit-to-kill” technology, destroying enemy warheads by direct impact rather than fragmentation explosion.
Although it has a shorter range — typically between 35 and 50 kilometers — the system offers greater accuracy and is specifically designed to counter high-velocity ballistic threats.
The conflict in the Middle East could further limit the availability of these rare missiles, raising concerns in Kiev about possible disruptions to supplies from Ukraine's partners.
“Of course, this issue concerns us. So far there has been no such signal from the Americans or the Europeans,” Zelensky told reporters on March 2.
“Everyone understands that the right weapons are our lifeline.”
