Ukraine is still negotiating arms production at home while working to strengthen its air defenses, Zelensky says
In his evening address on August 14, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is pressing ahead on two fronts: expanding its air-defense capabilities and securing deals to manufacture weapons domestically. Among the priority goals he named are establishing an anti-ballistic defense layer and enhancing the effectiveness of Patriot systems.
“We keep working for Ukraine’s air defense—missiles that save lives—and on agreements to produce weapons inside Ukraine. None of this will be easy, but all of it will happen,” the president said.
According to available data, Russia used more than 450 missiles of various types against Ukraine in July 2026, nearly 200 of them ballistic. In recent weeks, Moscow has also resumed firing North Korean-made KN-23 ballistic missiles, albeit in limited numbers. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War suggest the Russians may be testing these weapons and trying to improve their accuracy after earlier strikes fell short of expectations. The KN-23 gives Moscow a way to sustain high volumes of ballistic attacks without tapping into its own stocks of S-400 and Zircon missiles.
Ukraine’s Air Force changes how it reports on Russian strikes
Since August 10, Ukraine’s Air Force has adopted a different reporting format and asked the media to avoid sensational, pessimistic headlines about missiles that were not intercepted. The military has stopped publishing the exact number of missiles launched and shot down.
“Every delay at the political level, unfortunately, costs lives. It is essential to move quickly and focus every effort on protecting human life and limiting Russia’s resources for war,” Zelensky stressed.
The president argued that the aggressor must feel the world is actively working to end the war, not just watching it drag on. Ukraine, he said, remains committed to strengthening its own defense and ramping up domestic weapons production as the conflict continues. The shift in reporting comes amid repeated Russian missile barrages, as Ukrainian officials try to keep the public informed without fueling panic.
As President Zelensky emphasized the urgency of enhancing Ukraine's air defense, he also noted a significant decrease in missile supplies for these systems, which have reportedly dropped threefold. This situation underscores the critical need for strengthening domestic production capabilities. For more insights on this pressing issue, visit the latest updates on missile supplies.