Russia is running out of missiles, Ukraine security chief says

Russia has enough firepower for only three or four more missile barrages of the kind that have devastated Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Kyiv’s top defense official said.

“We understand how much they’ve expended so far - we understand that they don’t have so many,” Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, said in an interview on Wednesday. As the Kremlin’s reserves dissipate, “we are becoming mightier in air defense.”

The apparent depletion of Moscow’s rocket stock follows a sustained series of debilitating salvos against Ukraine’s electricity grid, power plants and substations since October, after Russian President Vladimir Putin shifted his assault to deliberately target energy infrastructure.

Millions of Ukrainian households have been left without power as temperatures plunge at the start of the winter season. Stockpiles and deliveries of missiles and artillery look increasingly like they will play a crucial role in whether Kyiv or Moscow has an advantage with the conflict in its 10th month.

The Kremlin’s air campaign has consisted of eight large-scale strikes against targets across Ukraine, using high-precision missiles and Iranian-made Shahed single-use drones. The most devastating barrage came on Nov. 15, with around 100 rockets launched on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Russia denies it has any difficulties in supplying its military, even as western intelligence services say that it has turned to Iran for drones and is seeking artillery shells from North Korea to replenish depleted stocks.

Still, Putin said military production “must be stepped up” at a Nov. 25 meeting with executives of Russia’s state-run Rostec defense conglomerate. Meeting the army’s needs is “our number one task,” he said.

Danilov said there is yet no confirmation that Tehran has delivered additional drones to Russia, disputing recent assumptions by the U.K.’s Defence Ministry that Moscow has been resupplied with Iranian-made drones.

Moscow has consistently denied that it’s receiving loitering drones from Tehran.

Ukraine’s bolstered air-defense ability was praised by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday in his nightly televised speech. Danilov, who was appointed to his position in 2019, said there would be “pleasant news” on enhancing the nation’s anti-missile capabilities soon.

He declined to comment explicitly on U.S. considerations for sending Patriot air and missile batteries to Ukraine, pending a decision by President Joe Biden. This week he posted an image of the 2000 Mel Gibson blockbuster “The Patriot” on Twitter, commenting that it’s “always a pleasure to rewatch American classic.”

Danilov demurred when asked about the post and any connection with the U.S. weaponry.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” he said. “I love American movies, especially classics.”