Vladislav Grigoriev19:46, 19.10.26

According to a Ukrainian official, Hegseth has contracts on his desk for the supply of Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine, but he is not signing them.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not yet approved the transfer of a large batch of Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine , Kyiv Independent reports , citing Ukrainian officials and military sources.

A senior Ukrainian official told reporters that Hegsett has contracts on his desk to supply Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine, but he is not signing them. He stressed that Ukraine’s allies have already paid for the missiles.

Ukrainian officials, speaking to reporters, described the alleged delay in the delivery of the missiles as another example of political pressure that could endanger the lives of civilians. They recalled that with the help of Patriot, Ukraine protects civilians from Russian ballistic missiles, which are particularly difficult to intercept.

Ukraine obtains Patriot interceptor missiles through several channels, according to one senior official. One of the main mechanisms is NATO’s “Priority Ukraine Requirements List” (PURL), under which Ukraine’s allies finance arms purchases from the United States. Ukraine also seeks missiles directly from countries that may have them. Ukrainian embassies are contacting the governments of those countries to determine their stockpiles.

A NATO official told reporters that deliveries under the PURL program were continuing, including air defense equipment. Another NATO official acknowledged that some deliveries could be delayed, but said political reasons were unlikely to be the explanation.Read also:

However, Ukrainian officials believe the delay is a political decision, not a simple logistical one. They recalled that the US had previously temporarily withheld data on Russian ballistic missile launches from Ukraine.

(C)UNIAN 2026