Ukraine missile interceptions fall

Ukraine’s ability to take down Russian missile attacks has fallen
sharply since the first year of the war as it struggles to cope
with a shortage of U.S.-made Patriot missile interceptors

Dormition Cathedral
in Kyiv burns after
Russian missile
strike, Jun 15,
2026

INTERCEPTION RATE OF RUSSIAN MISSILES AND DRONES
(monthly average since Sep 2022, %)

100
80
60
40
20
0

2023 2024 2025 2026

SEP 2022
80%

JUL 2026
25%

SEP 2022
71%

JUL 2026
85%

Drone
interceptions
up 14%

Missile
interceptions
down 55%

Russia begins increasing
volume of drone and
missile attacks

Ukraine is better at taking down drones because they travel so much
slower than cruise (jet engine) or ballistic (rocket engine) missiles

Ballistic 7,400-8,600 km/h (Iskander-M)

Cruise 970 km/h (Kh-101)

Drone 180-500 km/h (Geran/Shahed-136)

Speed of sound: 1,235 km/h

Source: CNN/CSIS
Picture: Getty Images
© GRAPHIC NEWS