Ukraine’s Air Defense Runs Dry as Russia Rushes New Missiles to the Front

Kyiv’s dwindling air defenses now face a new threat: freshly built Russian weapons fired straight off the assembly line, not older missiles pulled from storage, according to military intelligence. The warning comes as the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports that Russia sees no reason to enter real negotiations while Ukraine remains short of Patriot interceptors. Without enough of these advanced surface-to-air missiles, Ukraine cannot reliably protect its cities, power grids, or frontline troops from Russian strikes. The ISW assessment suggests that Moscow believes time is on its side, and that a stalled Ukrainian defense weakens Kyiv’s bargaining position. Military analysts say the shift to newly manufactured weapons means Russia can sustain its aerial campaign longer than previously expected. Older stockpiles were seen as a limited resource, but fresh production changes that calculus. For now, Ukraine’s ability to hold the line depends on faster deliveries of Western air-defense systems. Each day of delay, the ISW notes, gives Russia less reason to talk peace and more reason to keep firing.