Why Ukraine can’t stop Russia’s ballistic missiles

Russia’s ballistic missile attacks are hitting Ukraine’s cities harder than ever, with July 2026 seeing the highest number of civilians killed or injured in Ukraine in a single month since March 2022. As Russia ramps up its use of ballistic missiles, Ukraine is struggling to defend its cities from attacks far beyond the front line. The U.S.-made Patriot remains Ukraine’s most effective defense against ballistic missiles, but there are not enough interceptors to protect the country from Russia’s