Author: wawiimuy

Ukraine has launched a new operation targeting Russian ballistic missile launchers near its borders, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 22, as Kyiv faces a shortage of missiles capable of intercepting ballistic weapons.

Zelensky said that Ukrainian military struck an Iskander ballistic missile launcher near Ukraine’s borders on Aug. 22, without providing further details.

The strike was part of a separate operation to hunt down Russian missile systems positioned near Ukraine, which Zelensky described as an alternative tactic amid the dire lack of of anti-ballistic missile interceptors.

The Iskander is Russia’s main surface to surface tactical ballistic missile system, with a stated range of around 500 kilometers.

Complemented with North Korean KN-23 ballistic missiles and advanced Zircon cruise missiles, the Iskander has been the workhorse of combined mass attacks again Ukrainian targets in recent months.

When attacking Kyiv and other targets inside Ukraine, Iskanders are launched from mobile erector-launcher systems inside Russian territory, usually in border regions like Bryansk or Kursk oblasts.

With Ukraine’s stocks of Patriot ballistic missile interceptor at or near empty, strikes against Iskander launchers have long been proposed as an alternative method of fighting the Iskander threat, but Ukraine has lacked options for quickly detecting and hitting launch sites.

“At one point (the Russians) were planning to launch an attack, but didn’t go through with it. This is no coincidence,” Zelensky told journalists.

“In other words, we’re working to prevent them from carrying out large-scale missile attacks. These are individual, complex operations, and we’re now starting to see the first results.”

Zelensky said Russia could potentially produce up to 1,300 ballistic missiles annually and currently has around 600–630 in stock. Moscow could eventually aim to produce around 100 ballistic missiles per month, he said, although it has not yet reached that rate.

Ukraine is also seeking more Patriot interceptors ahead of winter, Zelensky said, revealing that Ukraine had only received 264 missiles for the advanced surface-to-air system this year so far.

The Air Force has requested 360 missiles, up from an initial target of 300. According to the president, Kyiv hopes to secure 5–10% of U.S. stocks, with Ukraine prepared to pay for the missiles.

Zelensky also said Germany had agreed to provide 600 PAC-2 missiles for Patriot systems in 2027–2028, while negotiations with Washington over additional supplies continue.

Longer-term alternatives to the Patriot are also moving ahead, the president said, referring specifically to the Freyja project, a joint effort by European and Ukrainian defense companies to produce a new anti-ballistic missile system.

The project has moved from political discussions to the technical stage, with companies now beginning practical work, Zelensky said.

Keith Kellogg, the former U.S. envoy to Ukraine, met with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Aug. 22 to discuss Ukraine’s urgent need for air defense missiles, as Russia continues to intensify its attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Kellogg, previously regarded as one of the most pro-Ukrainian voices in the White House, left his position in 2025 but said his work in support of Ukraine would continue after leaving his government role.

Zelensky said on social media that he discussed with Kellogg Ukraine’s shortage of Patriot air defense missiles, which the Presidential Office described as an “absolute priority” for Ukraine’s defense needs. Zelensky reiterated to Kellogg the country’s willingness to purchase the interceptor missiles ahead of what is expected to be yet another gruelling winter.

Russia has been exploiting Ukraine’s shortage of protection against ballistic missiles, hammering cities with intense, frequent bombardments. Recent attacks over the last few days killed 16 people at a shopping center in Kryvyi Rih on Aug. 21 and 15 people in Kyiv on Aug. 20.

Kellogg’s visit to Kyiv comes a day after the former official visited Odesa on Aug. 21 as part of a working group analysis Russia’s ongoing attacks on port infrastructure.

The U.S. delegation led by Kellogg was shown the damage from Russian attacks on port infrastructure and briefed on measures being taken to maintain operations, the Infrastructure Ministry said.

Amid Zelensky’s calls for more Patriot interceptor missiles from allies, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Aug. 22 that France will speed up the delivery of missiles and other military equipment following a nearly two-hour-long phone call between the two leaders.

Macron also agreed to help Kyiv in its communications with international partners that possess Patriot air defense systems, according to Zelensky. The president has repeatedly said that Patriots are critical for protecting Ukrainian civilians.