systems and ammunition to Ukraine — FT” fetchpriority=”high” decoding=”async” width=”630″ height=”340″ />
© Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands There may be a shortage of shells in Ukraine.
Amid Moscow’s increased air strikes, Ukraine could face a shortage of air defense equipment after the U.S. Department of Defense conducted a review of military aid in June that slowed deliveries. The problem has worsened after months of irregular and lower-than-expected deliveries from the Pentagon, the Financial Times reported, citing Western and Ukrainian officials.
“It's a matter of time before the ammunition runs out,” says a person familiar with the supply of air defense materials from the US to Ukraine.
The slowdown is particularly concerning, it said, because other missiles purchased directly from manufacturers under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative are produced in batches, leaving gaps between deliveries. EU countries also recently agreed to ship air defense systems and ammunition from their own stockpiles and buy them from the United States to be able to supply them to Ukraine, but these deliveries have only begun to arrive in part.
“The report that we are 'depriving Kyiv of vital air defense munitions' is a blatant lie, and the US Department of Defense is working very purposefully to support Ukraine's demands, particularly on air defense,” a White House official said.
He said President Donald Trump wants to “stop the killing,” and he has instructed the US to “sell weapons to NATO allies that can offset what European countries are sending to Ukraine.” The official added that European countries “must also step up, in particular by stopping purchases of Russian oil and putting economic pressure on countries that finance the war.”
According to journalists, after checking the readiness of important systems, the Pentagon first suspended and then slowed down deliveries to Ukraine of Pac-3 interceptor missiles for the Patrio air defense systems, dozens of Stinger MANPADS, high-precision artillery shells; more than 100 Hellfire and Aim missiles.
It is noted that over the summer, the Ukrainian army spent a significant amount of ammunition, fighting off Russian attacks, and Kyiv expects even greater challenges amid the expansion of strikes on energy facilities.
Previously, Financial Times chief international affairs columnist Gideon Rahman wrote that Trump has repeatedly made clear his unwillingness to make commitments to protect Ukraine.
