Ukraine received only one-third as many allied air-defense missiles during the first half of 2026 as it did during the same period in 2025, President Volodymyr Zelensky said after a Russian attack involving 24 ballistic missiles, four Zircon cruise missiles and 115 drones killed at least 17 people, Reuters reported on Aug. 5. Zelensky said partners officially attributed the shortage to competing demands in the Middle East but suggested political considerations could also be involved, including an effort to make Ukraine more accommodating in negotiations with Russia.