Zelensky's 'Freya' missile defense plan could backfire. Here's why.

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, neutralizing Russia’s ballistic missile threat is a key to ending the war that continues to ravage his country. “This is Russia’s last major advantage,” he told fellow leaders at the NATO summit earlier this month. Kyiv’s ability to achieve this goal today is limited. So far this year, Russia has launched over 500 ballistic missiles at Ukraine. In June 2026, these attacks contributed to almost 300 Ukrainian civilian deaths. U.S.-made Patriot interceptors are the only reliable defense against Russia’s ballistic missile attacks, but these are