None of Putin’s missiles intercepted: Ukraine no longer has a ballistic missile defence system

Kyiv. Not a single Russian ballistic missile was intercepted by the Ukrainian military during the night of 4–5 August. In 45 minutes, Russia launched 24 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 4 Zircon anti-ship missiles at Kyiv and the Kyiv Oblast. The strikes hit the logistics depots of several Ukrainian companies (the postal operator, a building materials hypermarket, an online retailer) and a railway station. Seventeen people were killed. “Ballistic interceptors could have saved the lives of those who died today,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But Kyiv no longer has any anti-ballistic missiles at its disposal.

The attack on Kyiv came immediately after the expiry of the forty-day deadline for the Ukrainian operation aimed at forcing Vladimir Putin to make peace: Zelensky had approved it on 25 June, and it involved medium- and long-range strikes against Russia and the occupied territories. Between 1 and 27 July, drone units struck 124 energy facilities in Crimea in an attempt to disrupt the Russian army’s logistics on the peninsula. According to data from the Security Service, during the operation, Ukrainian defence forces carried out over 100 successful strikes against strategically important Russian targets (air bases, command posts, military vessels and oil refineries).

Across Russia, warehouses belonging to Wildberries, the country’s largest online retailer, have also gone up in flames. But this has not prompted the Kremlin to seek peace. On 4 August, Zelensky extended the operation indefinitely, approving a new list of targets to be struck. The day before, on 3 August, Ukrainian ambassadors from around the world gathered at the Diplomatic Academy building on Mykhailivska Square in Kyiv. Every year, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs organises a meeting between the diplomats and Zelensky, as well as the country’s political and military leadership. “We will continue” the operation, Kyrylo Budanov, head of the President’s Office, told Il Foglio at the end of his speech at the forum: “Don’t get hung up on dates – 40 days, 100 days – what matters is the result,” he said. To force Russia to make peace, he believes, Ukrainians must remain strong and maintain internal unity. At the same time, Budanov believes that the Kremlin still thinks, for now, that it can achieve its objectives through military means. “That is a mistaken belief. From a strategic point of view, the war has long since reached a dead end,” he says. Ukraine, for its part, continues to seek peace negotiations, but the active phase of talks is currently at a standstill, notes the head of the President’s Office.

“Until the war ends, diplomatic efforts are not enough,” said Andrii Sybiha, Minister for Foreign Affairs, as he opened the forum. He urged the ambassadors to redouble their efforts in the countries where they represent Ukraine, and although the words ‘diplomacy’ and ‘negotiations’ were mentioned repeatedly throughout the day, senior Ukrainian officials spoke primarily about the practical challenges facing the coming months: preparing the energy system for winter, the difficulties in exporting Ukrainian agricultural produce, and the shortage of missiles for air defence. “This year, winter is a clear priority for everyone,” said Zelensky. The key task the president has entrusted to the ambassadors is to facilitate communication between partners and the government as much as possible: “The Prime Minister and every diplomat must have a clear list of what Ukraine needs: air defence missiles, weapons and energy support.”

Serhiy Koretsky, Ukraine’s new prime minister, also spoke for the first time. According to him, Ukraine’s Energy Support Fund has already raised over €2 billion. However, a further €650 million is needed to prepare for winter: “That is why the pace of mobilising support cannot slow down,” he said, “this winter will objectively be a difficult one.” Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine’s Minister for Energy, meanwhile discussed the challenges facing the energy sector with the ambassadors behind closed doors, without the press present.

On 31 July, in an interview with Fox News, Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, stated that Washington would shortly seek to restart negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. According to him, both countries have ‘red lines’ that they are not prepared to cross. “Nevertheless, we are ready to act, and President Trump has told his team: if you see an opportunity to be the force that gives momentum to the peace negotiations, let’s seize it,” Rubio said. US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to arrive in Kyiv in the coming weeks. This would be their first visit to Ukraine. However, there is still no confirmed date for the trip, a member of Zelensky’s team told Il Foglio. The president continues to believe in the power of diplomacy, despite the absence of any sign from the Russian side of genuine interest. “When Moscow doesn’t want to, Washington and Beijing can make Russia want to” end the war, he said with conviction.