Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky warns of missile shortage as he says Putin will benefit from ‘long war’ in Iran

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned of missile shortage as he says Putin will benefit from a “long war” in Iran.

Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he said the US produces around 60 to 65 Patriot missiles a month, which equates to roughly 600 to 700 a year. In the first day of the Middle East war, 103 missiles were used, he warned.

He said there will be “definitely” be a deficit and the question is now “when will all the stockpiles in the Middle East be exhausted”.

“For Putin, a long war in Iran is a plus,” as resources deplete, added.

“So it is beneficial for Putin that the resources do not go to Ukraine, against whom he has directed his army, and he’s fighting with he needs to weaken us. And this is a long process. The Middle East is one of the ways to do that.”

His comments come after at least four people were killed in Russian drone attacks on Saturday, while strikes on energy infrastructure knocked out power to most of the northern Ukrainian region of Chernihiv.

A drone attack in Zaporizhzhia struck and left a man and woman dead, while six people, including two children, were injured, regional head Ivan Fedorov said.

Officials said another two people died in attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region, and five people were injured.

In Russia, two women were killed and another wounded by Ukrainian shelling of the Belgorod border region.

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