Desperate to blunt escalating Russian bombardment of its cities, Ukraine contacted Germany with an urgent request four new air-defense systems and as many as 2,000 new missiles for them.

Germany responded with equal urgency—and said yes. Now Ukraine is set to receive four additional launchers for IRIS-T missiles as well as a huge stock of the 130-kg missiles, which range as far as 40 km under infrared and radar guidance. 

The IRIS-T isn’t the kind of missile you’d shoot at an incoming ballistic missile. Ballistic missiles such as Russia’s Iskander move too quickly for smaller air-defense missiles. It takes a heavy missile in the class of the US-made Patriot to kill an Iskander.

What the IRIS-T is, is a drone-killer. In its primary role defending against slower and lower-flying targets—Russian Shahed drones and cruise missiles, for example—the IRIS-T has a nearly 100% success rate, according to Helmut Rauch, the CEO of Germany’s Diehl Defense, the lead manufacturer of the missile. 

The Ukrainian 540th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade corroborated that figure. During one recent Russian cruise missile barrage, the brigade’s IRIS-T launchers shot down all 27 incoming missiles. “The enemy did not accomplish its mission,” a brigade officer said in an official video translated by German Aid to Ukraine and an associate.

Russian industry has ramped up production of the 200-kg Shahed and can now fling hundreds and hundreds of them at Ukrainian cities every day. Ukrainian forces jam their navigation signals, shoot them from the air and the ground and even ram into them with special interceptor drones—and yet, 10% or more of the Shaheds get through.

The devastating air raids targeting Ukrainian cities on 4 July involved 539 Shaheds, according to the Ukrainian air force. 268 Shaheds were shot down, and another 208 flew off course, likely owing to Ukrainian jamming. 63 Shaheds struck, damaging buildings and killing or wounding civilians.

“There must—and there definitely will—be more protection for life,” Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in the aftermath of the raid.

Yesterday, the 540th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade — which has just received the 7th IRIS-T SLM fire unit Germany has delivered to #Ukraine — has shared a video featuring IRIS-T SLM launchers, a TRML-4D air surveillance radar and an IRIS-T SLS launcher.

Thanks to @S1epanS, I'm… pic.twitter.com/GSKu2gt46o

— German Aid to Ukraine (@deaidua) July 4, 2025

No panacea

The new batch of IRIS-Ts will help, but they’re no panacea. 

Reading between the lines of leaked documents that German newspaper Bild obtained, German Aid to Ukraine concluded new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had already signed off on Ukraine’s request for four new IRIS-T launchers and 2,000 missiles. Each launcher costs $140 million. Each missile costs $600,000.

Ukraine already has seven IRIS-T launchers donated or financed by Germany and Norway. It has lost one launcher and one supporting TRML-4D radar to Russian action. Prior to the current request, Germany and Norway had pledged another 13 launchers. 

The IRIS-T is on track to become one of Ukraine’s most important medium-range air-defense systems. It alone can’t fully protect Ukrainian cities, of course. For starters, it might take years for German industry to deliver all the launchers and missiles.

Moreover, even 2,000 missiles is a small number of missiles when Russia can launch many hundreds—potentially 1,000—of its $200,000 Shaheds every day. It’s not for no reason Ukrainian industry is working so hard on jammers that can throw the Russian drones off course—and also building more and more interceptor drones that cost less than a Shahed does.

The jamming might be the most cost-effective defense. “Since the enemy counts Shahed production at 500 to 1,000 per day, jamming is the only economically viable solution,” said “Alchemist,” the head of the Night Watch electronic warfare team in Kyiv.

With newer Shaheds climbing as high as 3,500 meters and flying right through heavy clouds that can obscure them from view, Ukraine’s interceptor drones “can’t keep up,” Alchemist claimed. “Cost, scalability, resources—all prohibit such countermeasures.”

Ideally, IRIS-T would be the final line of defense, plucking the last few Shaheds that make it through the jamming and interceptor drones. 

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President Volodymyr Zelensky and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met in Kyiv on June 30, where the two leaders discussed Germany supplying additional IRIS-T air defense systems, joint weapons production, and strengthening sanctions against Russia, Zelensky said.

Wadephul earlier said Germany is working with its defense industry, European allies, and the U.S. to secure more air defense systems for Ukraine.

"We are going down every path available... The German defense industry is trying to expand its capacity. We're speaking with our European partners, and I believe we must also move forward with the United States," he said.

Zelensky met with executives of German defense companies alongside Wadephul during the visit to Ukraine's capital.

"We discussed sanctions pressure on Russia, the potential for supplying new IRIS-T systems, and joint weapons production — both in Ukraine and in Germany," Zelensky said in a post to social media.

Zelensky noted Germany signalled it believes that Ukraine's future is in NATO amid Russia's war against Ukraine.

"We will continue to develop relevant military hubs and increase the presence of German companies in Ukraine. We had an in-depth discussion on interceptor drones. I am grateful for the willingness to help," Zelensky said.

Earlier in the visit, Wadephul noted that he remains in close contact with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to assess whether existing systems from Germany's own stockpiles can be redirected to Ukraine.

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The Kyiv IndependentDominic Culverwell

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include Germany's announcement to supply Ukraine with $2.2 billion in additional military aid.

Germany will deliver new IRIS-T air defense systems to Ukraine under a three-year supply plan, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a joint press conference with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who added Berlin has no plans to provide Taurus long-range missiles.

The announcement comes amid escalating Russian aerial assaults, including a June 10 missile and drone strike on Kyiv, one of the largest since the start of the full-scale invasion.

"We are grateful for the supply of IRIS-T air defense systems," Zelensky said on June 12. "We understand that deliveries are currently being planned... for the next three years. This is very important assistance."

The IRIS-T is a German-made medium-range surface-to-air missile system capable of intercepting drones, aircraft, and cruise missiles.

Pistorius confirmed the delivery timeline but firmly ruled out the possibility of sending Taurus missiles — weapons Kyiv has repeatedly requested to strike deep into Russian territory.

"You asked me whether we are considering this, and my answer is no," Pistorius said.

Before taking office, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz signaled openness to lifting former Chancellor Olaf Scholz's ban on the missiles. That stance has not yet resulted in a policy shift.

Ukraine has already received long-range missiles — including ATACMS from the U.S. and Storm Shadow and SCALP from the U.K. and France. Initially restricted to use within Ukrainian territory, Western allies only began easing those limitations in late 2024.

Germany is Ukraine's largest military donor in Europe. Pistorius said that Berlin will provide 9 billion euros ($10.4 billion) in aid this year, with investments in defense production being considered. The total includes an additional commitment in military aid worth 1.9 billion euros ($2.2 billion).

"Today, we discussed that this aid will continue," he said. "We agreed on additional investments in production... both in Ukraine and in Germany."

Zelensky visited Berlin on May 28 for talks with Merz, part of an ongoing effort to bolster Ukraine's defense industry amid uncertainty over U.S. support under President Donald Trump.

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