How the Patriot system protects Ukraine from Russia's deadly ballistic missiles

Russia has increased the number of large-scale attacks on Ukraine and now uses ballistic missiles in almost every strike. This circumstance has again sparked discussions that Ukraine needs as much air defense as possible, which is capable of countering this type of missile.
What is the Patriot SAM system, why can only this system shoot down ballistic missiles, and which countries can provide Ukraine with Patriots?
Since the beginning of summer, Russia has greatly increased the number of massive attacks. Russian air forces strike Ukraine with everything they can — from kamikaze drones to all types of missiles and aerial bombs. The main focus is on the number of Iranian Shahed drones, which are now launched in the hundreds, so air raids in Ukrainian cities can last all night.
Large-scale combined strikes have once again raised the issue of the strength of Ukraine’s air defense. Ballistic missiles pose a particular danger — they are the hardest to shoot down. Only the Patriot SAM system mainly copes with this task. Due to the intensity of the attacks, Western media have again started talking about the lack of missile stocks for the system. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, being disappointed in the Kremlin's rhetoric, has pledged to help Ukraine with both missiles for the Patriot and the systems themselves.
Patriot SAM system — an enemy of ballistic missiles
The Patriot surface-to-air missile system was developed in America back in the 1970s and is produced by contractor RTX Corporation. The core of the system is the AN/MPQ-53 Patriot radar, after which the system is named. The Patriot is considered a long-range air defense system.
Thanks to its radar system and interceptor missiles, the SAM system is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles moving along a descending trajectory. The system tracks the missile’s path at long range and calculates the interception point, where the counter-missile is directed. The target missile is often destroyed at a short distance from the ground due to its specific flight path.
The Patriot operates in automatic mode, calculating the interception point on its own, so the human factor is almost excluded. However, the Russians are working on modernizing ballistic missiles, which complicates the operation of the American SAM system. According to experts, Russian missiles are learning to bypass areas where air defense operates and fly at low altitudes.
According to the spokesperson of the Air Force of Ukraine, Yurii Ihnat, the enemy is complicating the interception process but not making it impossible. Speaking about such unique systems as the Patriot surface-to-air missile systems, he noted that they are capable of engaging aerodynamic targets (aircraft, cruise missiles) within a radius of up to 150 km, and ballistic missiles — but only within a radius of several dozen kilometers.
"Protecting large territories from ballistics is impossible, considering that we don’t have that many Patriots," Ihnat said.
SAM Patriot (photo: Getty Images)
Therefore, Ukraine’s request to Western allies to provide more SAM systems to protect the skies remains relevant all this time.
Three years with the Patriots
Over three years of war, Ukraine has repeatedly asked the US, as the main producer of the Patriot, to supply the systems to protect its skies. Russia did not immediately begin using ballistics in combined attacks. For some time, Kremlin propaganda persistently claimed that Kinzhal missiles allegedly could not be intercepted at all. The situation was also intensified by regular training flights of the MiG-31 fighter, the carrier of Kinzhals.
The first reports that Ukraine would receive Patriots came in March 2023 from Polish President Andrzej Duda. Then the media reported that the supply was almost certain, but the delivery had not yet taken place. In April, it was already reported that the SAM system was in Ukraine, and in May, the Patriot for the first time shot down a Kh-47 Kinzhal aeroballistic missile.
That same May, the Russians carried out one of their large-scale combined attacks and struck Kyiv with six Kinzhals. The Air Force reported that all six were shot down by the Patriot system, which proved its effectiveness against ballistic threats.
In total, over three and a half years of war, Ukraine received from the US three full batteries and associated equipment, three batteries and four launchers from Germany, one battery from Romania, and several launchers from the Netherlands. This information is published in open sources, but in reality, it is impossible to know exactly how many SAM systems Ukraine has today — it is classified.
Both the system and the missiles for it are extremely expensive. One system costs about $1 billion, while one interceptor missile — about $4 million. Maintaining the system also requires a large number of qualified specialists who have been trained specifically for this task. That is why every time Ukraine asked for more systems, these requests caused discussions among allies that most often ended in refusal.
A destroyed building in Kyiv after a night attack on June 17 (photo: Getty Images)
There were also problems with the supply of interceptor missiles. Because only these missiles can shoot down ballistic targets, their availability for Ukraine is extremely important. This issue became a field for various political speculations.
When the election campaign in America was in full swing, Republicans temporarily blocked the next aid package for Ukraine, which included, among other things, ammunition for the Patriot. This led to the enemy managing to destroy the Trypillia TPP. In his daily address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy then stated that the TPP could not be protected because the Air Force had simply run out of Patriot missiles.
Trump’s policy turnaround
When Donald Trump came to power in the US, he immediately declared that he would end the war by bringing Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table. There was no mention that America would continue to help Ukraine with weapons. Trump continued to send arms packages to Kyiv, but only those approved by his predecessor, Joe Biden. It seemed there was no reason to hope for new ones.
While Trump tried to resolve the war diplomatically, Russia continued to attack Ukraine, using more and more drones and updated ballistic missiles. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin assured his Western counterpart that he was solely in favor of peace. The negotiations did not produce any tangible results for the front — Moscow refused to agree to a long-term ceasefire and continued to make unrealistic demands on Kyiv.
At some point, the discrepancies between the Kremlin’s words and actions became so obvious that even Trump, who had always spoken rather flatteringly about Putin, took notice. His rhetoric regarding the Russian president changed under the influence of numerous factors, one of the important ones being the regular strikes against Ukrainian cities.
Ukraine primarily needs reliable air defense in large quantities - Kyiv states at all levels, especially in communications with the American administration. The statements amassed, backed by regular Russian attacks and ballistic missiles that destroy buildings and claim lives. The shift in Trump’s tone became noticeable at the NATO summit in The Hague, when Ukrainian journalist Myroslava Petsa asked the US president to provide Ukraine with Patriot systems. Trump appeared interested and sympathetic.
Trump and Zelenskyy at the NATO Summit in The Hague (photo: Getty Images)
For several weeks, the US president spoke rather critically about Putin, finally saying that he was disappointed in him. After several talks with Zelenskyy, he announced that he would try to send Patriot systems to Ukraine as soon as possible and teased important announcements.
On Monday, July 14, Donald Trump stated that he would send Patriot systems to Ukraine. It was about 17 systems — a record number. Considering that about 25 SAM systems are needed to cover Ukraine, according to experts, 17 systems will provide significant assistance and strengthen Ukrainian air defense.
"We will send them Patriots, which they desperately need. Because Putin had really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice, and then he bombs everybody in the evening. It’s a little bit of a problem there, I don't like it," Trump said at a press conference.
According to Trump, the military aid supply scheme will be carried out at the expense of European countries, including the Patriots. The president assured that some systems would arrive in Ukraine within a few days. Several countries that have Patriots are going to swap them, and the US will replace the Patriots, Trump explained.
Trump also said that there is one country that could single-handedly send all 17 SAM systems to Ukraine, but he did not specify which country that is. Meanwhile, the US administration added that it would allow NATO countries to give Ukraine their stockpiles of Patriots and receive new systems from the United States in return.
Today, the Patriot SAM system is in service in 19 countries, at least, according to open sources. Among them are the US, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Romania, South Korea, Greece, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Taiwan.
Germany was one of the first to announce the supply of Patriots to Ukraine. According to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Berlin could support Kyiv with two more systems. But this will not happen in just a few days, the minister emphasized.
Previously, President Zelenskyy reported that Norway was also ready to share a Patriot system with Ukraine. Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and Canada also agreed to help Kyiv with the purchase of SAM systems.
According to NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker, the US decision to send weapons to Ukraine, funded by the Alliance, is a signal to Putin.
"We’ve given you a chance for peace. President Trump is a peacemaker. But if you want war, we will arm Ukraine – and Europe will pay for it," Whitaker added.
Sources: open data about the Patriot SAM system, statements by Ukrainian military officials, and the American leadership.