At least 16 people were killed when Russia launched missiles and drones at Kyiv. A Patriot interceptor is a surface-fired missile designed to destroy an incoming warhead before it reaches the ground. Ukraine is struggling with a shortage of them.
What the shortage changes
Patriot interceptors are single-use. Once fired, that round is gone. Stockpiles do not reset between attacks. When supply runs low, commanders have to triage: some incoming threats get intercepted, others do not.
A combined strike using both ballistic missiles and drones compounds that problem. The two threats arrive differently, require different intercept windows, and draw down interceptor inventory faster together than either type would alone.
Ukraine's Patriot shortage is the operational context for the Kyiv attack. At least 16 people are confirmed dead.