Ukraine has accused the United States of indirectly helping Russia after Kyiv reportedly received no advance warning of incoming missile attacks, while restrictions on the Starlink satellite communication system disrupted some of its military operations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed frustration over the developments, describing the lack of warning about the attacks as unfair and raising concerns about the reliability of Washington’s support.
The dispute comes amid growing tensions between Kyiv and Washington over military assistance, intelligence sharing and the direction of efforts to end the war.
Ukraine relies heavily on Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, for battlefield communications, drone operations and coordination between military units. Recent restrictions on the system reportedly affected the operation of certain Ukrainian drones, disrupting several missions.
Zelensky appealed for the service to be restored, expressing hope that the disruption was caused by a technical problem rather than a deliberate decision.
Musk, however, said responsibility for the restrictions rested with the US government rather than SpaceX, pointing to the role of American authorities in controlling military-related services.
The Starlink dispute coincided with Ukrainian complaints that the country had not received timely warnings about Russian missile strikes targeting its territory. The attacks reportedly hit energy infrastructure, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without electricity.
The developments have raised fresh questions about the extent of American intelligence support for Ukraine as the war continues.
Meanwhile, Washington has maintained that its policy towards Ukraine has not changed, while European partners continue to express concern about the country’s security and military needs.
The latest disagreement highlights Ukraine’s dependence on Western technology and intelligence as it attempts to defend its territory against Russian attacks.
