Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets "did not have enough missiles to shoot down Russian drones and missiles for more than three weeks" after supplies from Ukraine's partners ran out just as Moscow was preparing for a large-scale winter air campaign, citing three sources, Reuters reports, writes UNN.
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The "acute shortage from late November to mid-December," which had not been previously reported, as the publication writes, "exposes the vulnerability of Ukraine's air defense, which largely depends on Western allies for missiles and defense systems to repel frequent Russian attacks."
Ukraine has frequently complained about a lack of weapons since the start of the full-scale war over four years ago, raising alarms about critical shortages in recent months, while seeking not to anger the administration of US President Donald Trump, the publication notes.
"The need for Western weapons is unlikely to diminish anytime soon, as there is no end in sight to the conflict in Ukraine, and given the war against Iran, competition for securing defensive weapons in the Middle East and beyond is likely to intensify," the publication writes.
Three sources, all directly familiar with the situation, stated that "Ukraine had only a few American AIM-9 'Sidewinder' air-to-air missiles for its entire F-16 squadron when supplies ceased."
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians endured the worst winter without heating, electricity, and running water as a result of an intensified Russian offensive against the energy system, which Ukraine was unable to fully repel, the publication notes.
Despite Ukraine's vocal lobbying, specific examples of how the deficit affects its defense capabilities are usually kept secret. In this case, one source told Reuters that "Ukraine had nothing to put on its planes for almost a month."
Reuters could not determine the cause of the deficit, or whether the delays were due to US or European procrastination. The first source said that Ukraine's foreign partners informed Kyiv that they had no available stocks, without specifying which partners.
In response to a White House request for comment, a US official said that Washington is committed to stopping the war and supports Ukraine by selling American weapons through NATO. The official said that the Trump administration had made "tremendous progress" on reaching a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia.
The US Department of Defense, the Ukrainian Air Force, and the Ukrainian presidency did not respond to questions.
"During the shortage, F-16 pilots made daytime sorties and tried to hit drones with rotary cannons," a second source said, adding that conducting such missions in the dark was too dangerous, although Russian drone attacks usually occur at night.
"Pilots also tried to use missiles that had failed on previous missions, hoping they would work after maintenance," the source said. In some cases, they were successful.
According to sources, "Ukrainian F-16 pilots largely relied on AIM-9 missile variants, known as 'Lima' and 'Mike,' which were produced in the 1970s and 1980s."
Although these missiles are several decades old, "they provided Ukraine with a relatively inexpensive way to intercept Russian drones and cruise missiles," three sources said.
"The deficit was covered in December when Ukraine received AIM-9 air-to-air missiles from partners," three sources said, shortly before a major Russian attack. They declined to name the country or countries behind the supply, citing secrecy.
Reuters could not determine the impact of the temporary missile shortage. The first source said it did not coincide with the largest Russian attacks in winter.
A fourth source said that "NATO members Germany and Canada have supplied Sidewinder missiles in recent months, and confirmed that there had been a 'small dip' in supplies earlier, although they declined to explain the reason."
The German Ministry of Defense declined to comment on specific deliveries or weapons for security reasons. Germany has been one of Ukraine's largest military and financial backers since 2022.
The Canadian Ministry of National Defense told Reuters that "it is in the process of transferring AIM-9M-8 missiles from the Canadian Armed Forces arsenals." "This new donation will complement the previous donation of hundreds of Canadian AIM missiles and related components used by Ukraine for its air defense," the statement said.
When asked to comment on the situation, a NATO official said that PURL supplies vital American materials and has been supplying about 75% of all missiles for Ukrainian Patriot air defense batteries and 90% of ammunition for other air defense systems since summer.
F-16s can carry AIM-9 missiles or more advanced AIM-120 missiles. They are manufactured by Raytheon, a division of the American defense group RTX Corp. When asked to comment on the shortage, RTX referred Reuters to the US government.
Each AIM-120 missile costs over one million dollars, two of the three sources said, meaning they are not typically used on a large scale to counter cheaply produced Russian attack drones.
"These missiles are also used in Ukrainian Norwegian-made NASAMS surface-to-air systems, meaning their operations were curtailed during the supply shortage," the last of the three sources said.
This person also stated that "since the 2022 invasion, there has been a shortage of US-made RIM-7 missiles, which Ukraine uses in modified Soviet-era air defense systems."
The Norwegian Ministry of Defense stated that the government supplied a "significant number" of interceptors for NASAMS earlier this winter... "so that the NASAMS system could continue to protect Ukrainian citizens from deadly air strikes," the publication writes.