Patriot Missiles Depleted as Ukraine Air Defense Pleas Fall Flat
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- Reuters leads with the global supply question — why are Patriot missile stockpiles depleted worldwide?
- Ukraine's pleas for air defenses are 'falling flat' amid intensifying Russian strikes, per The New York Times, while PBS surfaces the explanatory angle via a retired Army colonel on why Patriots are uniquely valuable and scarce.
Why it matters: With Patriot stockpiles depleted worldwide, no allied nation can quickly replace interceptor losses — leaving Ukraine exposed to continued Russian strikes until production scales, and locking in shortages for any future customer in the queue behind it.
