Ukraine secures 600 PAC-2 missiles from Germany and new French radars ahead of winter

Agreements with Germany and France

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday during Ukrainian Flag Day celebrations that Kyiv reached an agreement with Germany to supply 600 PAC-2 interceptor missiles. The agreement, concluded with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, schedules the delivery of the interceptors across 2027 and 2028. In addition to the German agreement, Zelensky announced that France will deliver new air defense radar systems to Ukraine in the autumn.

The announcements follow direct diplomatic consultations over the weekend. Zelensky reported that he held a two-hour conversation on Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron. The discussion covered multiple topics, ranging from peace talks to the provision of French-Italian SAMP/T air defense missile systems.

Interceptor supplies and production constraints

Ukraine is actively seeking additional interceptors to shield its cities during the upcoming winter season. Zelensky stated that the Ukrainian Air Force identified a requirement for 360 Patriot missiles for its winter package, while his own initial target was to secure 300 units. Obtaining these quantities presents logistical hurdles because total annual production of the interceptor stands at 600 units worldwide.

To bridge this gap, Kyiv is negotiating with several international partners for surplus inventory. Zelensky noted that Ukraine is attempting to purchase between 5% and 10% of existing United States stockpiles, adding that Kyiv is prepared to pay for the munitions.

I wanted to find 300 missiles for Patriots as part of the winter package. The demand reported by our Air Force is 360. When annual production is 600 units, getting 360 is not easy.

Shift in defensive tactics against Iskander systems

Due to the limited availability of specialized anti-ballistic interceptors, the Ukrainian military has adopted an offensive counter-battery strategy. Zelensky explained that while PAC-2 interceptors can destroy ballistic missiles, engaging incoming warheads successfully requires firing multiple missiles at each target. To conserve supplies, Ukrainian forces are actively targeting Russian missile launch positions before launches occur.

Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian units recently located and destroyed a Russian Iskander launcher positioned near the Ukrainian border, disrupting a planned missile strike.

Due to the sensitive nature of the operation we cannot provide many details, but the fact is that we destroyed an Iskander launcher near our borders. I am grateful to our soldiers who carry out such actions. This is our hunting operation against nearby Russian systems.

Russian ballistic missile output and winter threats

Ukrainian assessments indicate that Russia is working to increase its domestic missile manufacturing capacity ahead of the cold season. According to figures shared by Zelensky, Russia possesses the technical capacity to produce up to 1,300 ballistic missiles annually. However, its current manufacturing output is limited to between 600 and 630 missiles per year.

Russian planning aims to reach an output rate of approximately 100 ballistic missiles per month through the end of winter, though manufacturing has not yet reached that volume. Ukrainian officials anticipate that Russian forces will focus their winter attacks on energy infrastructure, with the capital city of Kyiv expected to be a primary target.