The Head of the President’s Office, Kirill Budanov, has called on international partners to speed up the supply of missiles for Ukraine’s air defence systems following the Russian attack on Kyiv and the Kyiv region. He stated that additional interceptors are needed to defend against attacks, and that strengthening Ukraine’s air defences is also linked to the security of Western nations.
Briefly about the main points
- Budanov asked his partners to speed up the delivery of interceptor missiles.
- A period of mourning has been declared in the Kyiv region for those killed in the attack.
- The official described the attacks on civilian targets as a means of intimidation.
- The need to counter ballistic missiles remains particularly pressing.
- At the same time, Ukraine is drawing up its own measures to strengthen its air defence.
A complaint in the Kyiv region and the consequences of the strike
A day of mourning for the deceased was declared in the Kyiv region on 6 August. Budanov expressed his condolences to their families and paid tribute to the victims of the Russian attack. Ukrmedia reported at least 17 deaths in Kyiv and the surrounding region, as well as dozens of injuries.
According to the Head of the President’s Office, Russia is using attacks on the civilian population as a means of intimidation, aimed at undermining the resilience of Ukrainian society. Residential buildings, civilian businesses, warehouses and logistics infrastructure have come under attack. Rescue workers, law enforcement officers and utility services are working on the ground.
The need for interceptors for various systems
Budanov described the transfer of missiles for air defence as one of the critically necessary steps to counter Russian strikes. Ukraine is appealing to its partners for additional interceptors for the Patriot, NASAMS, IRIS-T and other systems. The need for systems capable of countering ballistic missiles remains particularly acute.
In the first half of 2026, Ukraine received approximately three times fewer air defence missiles than in the same period last year. This makes the regular replenishment of ammunition stocks no less important than the availability of the launchers themselves. NATO In May, it was reported that the PURL mechanism had supplied around 70% missiles for Ukrainian Patriot batteries and 90% rounds for other air defence systems.
Budanov believes that the destruction of Russian missiles and drones over Ukraine limits Moscow’s ability to escalate its aggression and exert pressure on Western nations.
Ukraine is preparing to strengthen its own air defences
The Head of the President’s Office stated that Ukraine is simultaneously working on its own measures to strengthen its air defences. He did not disclose the details of these measures, but said that they would yield results.
At the end of April, the Ministry of Defence announced the procurement of 8,000 Ukrainian OCTOPUS interceptors to counter Shahed-type attack drones. Such systems can supplement the lower tier of air defence and reduce the burden on more expensive systems, but they do not replace Western interceptors, which are required to counter ballistic targets.
