More Patriots, But When? – Ukraine Latest, April 15

Ukraine’s Patriot missile shortages, the first bomb and missile sortie with NATO weaponry, IMF’s forecast on global economy after Iran – updates from Ukraine and beyond Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Pedestrians walk along the embankment of the Dnipro river in Kyiv on April 15, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Genya SAVILOV / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Kyiv signed multiple major defense deals ahead of today’s Ramstein meeting – including the “biggest-ever” drone package from the UK with 120,000 drones , a new cooperation with Norway to set up shop there with technology transfers, and a $4.7 billion deal with Germany on Tuesday for “hundreds” of Patriot missiles. But with Patriot missiles in severe shortage , according to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the 2027-29 delivery timeline mentioned by Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov at Ramstein does not inspire much confidence. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . Future deliveries from the US via the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative also remain unclear – a concern compounded by Vice President JD Vance boasting about cutting Ukraine aid as a “ key achievement .” There are some positive developments for Kyiv internationally. Italy has renewed its call for Article 5-style guarantees for Ukraine, while the US is likely to extend oil sanctions on Russia, alongside further signals of renewed US-Iran talks – that might bring the attention back to Ukraine if it’s over. Kyiv also just ran its first-ever bomb and missile attack with NATO weapons , which is an exciting step forward. But at the same time, there are also signs that Russia and Iran are getting support from abroad – the US said Cuba might be supplying troops to Russia , while Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin may visit China in May after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Beijing leader Xi Jinping , as Iran is also reportedly using Chinese satellites to track US troops. Other Topics of Interest Drones, Missiles, PURL – Big Packages With Unclear Deliveries at Ramstein Briefing While multiple countries have announced substantial aid to bolster Kyiv’s defense and munition stockpiles, questions remain over when they can reach the wartorn country. Zelensky also said there is no set date for the expected US envoy visit to Kyiv – though he argued that it would be only fair for them to see Kyiv after multiple trips to Moscow. On the business front, Biopharma is set to open one of Europe’s largest Plasma facilities in western Ukraine’s Uzhhorod, while Kernel, Ukraine’s largest agroholding, is working on providing ground data to NASA Harvest to refine satellite models for crop analysis and soil management. Meanwhile, the IMF is not optimistic about the global economy amid the Iran war, with outlooks ranging from “difficult” to “adverse” and “severe,” according to our journalist who attended the IMF briefing. Interested in more updates like this? Subscribe to our daily newsletter here . Leo Chiu is a journalist and editor based in Eastern Europe since 2015. He has witnessed two presidential elections in Belarus and traveled widely to conflict zones and contested regions, producing reporting that bridges the gap between major developments and local realities.