More Patriot missiles used in Middle East in 3 days than in Ukraine since 2022, Zelensky says
In just three days of fighting in the Middle East, more than 800 Patriot missiles were used — more than Ukraine has received throughout the entire Russian full-scale invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a press briefing on March 5.
The statement comes as tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East after the U.S., in a joint operation with Israel, carried out strikes on several Iranian cities on Feb. 28 that killed Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
"Ukraine has never had this many missiles to repel attacks. More than 800 have been used over the past three days alone," Zelensky said.
Zelensky said that when Ukraine first faced Iranian Shahed-type drones in 2022, it used "everything it had" to repel the attacks. Yet the president added that Ukraine has since gained significant experience in countering such strikes.
"Everyone understands that Patriot (missiles) are not enough," Zelensky said.
Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine is ready to provide drone interceptors in exchange for missiles, though he did not specify which countries could be involved.
Zelensky added that Ukraine is prepared to share its expertise with countries facing Iranian attacks to help protect civilians and oil infrastructure in the Middle East.
American-made Patriot interceptor missiles are among the few weapons capable of effectively intercepting the ballistic missiles Russia uses to strike Ukraine.
The latest variant of these interceptors is the Patriot PAC-3. Unlike its predecessor, the Patriot PAC-2 GEM-T, the PAC-3 uses hit-to-kill technology, destroying incoming warheads through direct impact rather than a fragmentation blast.
Although its range is shorter — typically around 35 to 50 kilometers (20 to 30 miles) — it offers greater precision and is specifically designed to counter high-speed ballistic threats.
The war in the Middle East could further limit the supply of these scarce missiles, raising concerns in Kyiv about potential disruptions to deliveries from Ukraine's partners.
"Of course, this issue concerns us. So far, there has been no such signal from the Americans or Europeans," Zelensky told journalists on March 2.
"Everyone understands that the right weapons are our lifeline."
