NEW YORK, August 27. /TASS/. The US military is experiencing a "beyond critical" shortage of advanced missile interceptors in Europe, particularly for Patriot systems, raising concerns about NATO countries’ vulnerability, The Associated Press reported, citing sources.

According to a US official, the most serious shortfall involves Patriot missile interceptors capable of shooting down Russia’s high-speed ballistic missiles. A NATO official confirmed low Patriot inventories among American and NATO forces in Europe.

The American military in Europe "definitely" does not have enough Patriots to stop any possible sustained ballistic missile attack and would have "very limited" capability to defend against a single ballistic missile strike or a stray missile that goes off course, the US official said.

The agency linked the situation primarily to the transfer of US missile stocks from Europe to the Middle East amid the US war with Iran. There, US and allied forces have fired significant numbers of interceptors, including Patriot missiles, to repel Iranian drone and missile attacks.