A single day of Russian missile attacks cost Ukraine around €80 million in air defense missiles alone, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed during a press conference on 20 January.
The figure exposes the brutal economics behind Ukraine's air defense efforts—where each successful interception drains resources that must be continuously replenished from hesitant Western partners. In the week of 12-18 January alone, Russia launched over 1,300 attack drones, around 1,050 guided aerial bombs, and 29 missiles against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, forcing Ukraine to burn through interceptors faster than allies can resupply them.
Air defense missiles: always a battle to secure
Zelenskyy acknowledged that Ukraine received critical missile packages just days before the latest attack—supplies that proved essential for defense. But he made clear that securing each delivery remains a struggle.
"Every day, we do everything, and I do everything, to ensure we receive the appropriate missiles and the necessary protection for our people," Zelenskyy said. "It is very hard to mobilize all this funding for the missiles."
The admission follows Zelenskyy's earlier disclosure that until 16 January, some Ukrainian air defense systems had been operating without ammunition during a critical window when Russia was pounding the country's energy grid. The missiles arrived that morning.
"War is an extremely expensive Russian luxury"
Zelenskyy framed the disparity starkly: "War is an extremely expensive Russian luxury, and for us it results in severe losses."
The statement captures a fundamental asymmetry. Russia can choose when and how heavily to attack; Ukraine must defend everything, everywhere, all the time. Each Russian barrage forces Ukraine to expend finite interceptors—PAC-3 Patriot missiles alone cost around $3.7 million each—while Moscow draws on its domestic production capacity and sanctions-evading supply chains to replenish its own stockpiles.
Trump's reaction to winter terror campaign remains unclear
Asked about US President Donald Trump's response to Russia's ongoing winter attacks on civilians, Zelenskyy said he had not yet discussed the 20 January strikes with the American president.
"We know the general reaction: that America and President Trump want this war to end," Zelenskyy said. "As for the most recent attack, we have not yet spoken with him."
The comment comes as Russia continues to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure during the coldest weeks of winter, with electricity demand reaching 18 gigawatts against a system capacity of just 11 gigawatts—forcing rolling blackouts across the country.
