US delays Patriot co-production deal with Ukraine as drone strikes hit Russian warehouses

Nexus Europa Newsroom
Posted Aug 19, 2026, 07:30 PM UTC · In the digest of 2026-08-19-1930
US delays Patriot co-production deal with Ukraine as drone strikes hit Russian warehouses
Photo: Sloboden Pečat

A US-Ukraine deal on Patriot missile production will not be signed before winter, as Ukrainian drone strikes target Russian logistics hubs.

A bilateral agreement between the United States and Ukraine on the joint production of Patriot interceptor missiles is unlikely to be finalized before the upcoming winter, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker confirmed in a televised interview. Whitaker indicated that while Patriot manufacturing remains a long-term goal, broader efforts with European allies to co-produce air defence equipment are ongoing.

Concurrently, Ukrainian drone strikes targeted logistics infrastructure within Russia. Regional authorities reported at least five deaths and ten injuries following an overnight strike on a warehouse near Moscow. Facilities operated by major online retailer Wildberries were also struck in the Saint Petersburg and Tver regions.

Sources: MIA (Media Information Agency), SDK, Sloboden Pečat

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