The key facts

  • Zelensky: intelligence on the ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv on October 12 and 13 was not shared; the main target of the latest strike was CHPP No. 4.
  • According to Politico, the US explained this by bad weather; Trump replied 'not so well,' while FT previously reported on a US warning about a possible halt to intelligence sharing.
  • Ukrainian military reported SpaceX restrictions on Starlink and the military version Starshield, which affects drone speed.

Absence of warnings about missile strikes

On October 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Western partners did not warn Ukraine about Russia's preparation of a ballistic missile strike on Kyiv. According to him, the Ukrainian military noticed the missiles only when they were already approaching the capital. The main target of the latest strike was CHPP No. 4 — one of Kyiv's key energy facilities. The day before, Zelensky also stated that intelligence about the missile strike on Kyiv on the night of October 12 was not shared. 'Intelligence about the launch of Russian ballistic missiles helps save people's lives, and this is one of the most important issues. It is precisely the warning about ballistic missiles that helps prevent murders,' Kun.uz quoted his words.

The US position and military clarifications

Spokesman for the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuriy Ihnat clarified that on the night of October 14, partners did not warn about the first launch of ballistic missiles, but before the subsequent three waves of strikes, the Ukrainian side received appropriate notifications. According to Politico, the US stated that they could not warn Ukraine about the strike on the night of October 12 due to bad weather; at the same time, the Ukrainian government fears that 'this is not the reason.' Donald Trump, when asked by a journalist how correct the intelligence exchange with Kyiv was, replied 'not so well.' The Financial Times, citing sources, reported that the US had previously warned that they might stop sharing intelligence with Ukraine if Kyiv did not stop strikes on Russian oil refineries.

Starlink restrictions at the front

On the morning of October 14, Ukrainian military began reporting that SpaceX was restricting the operation of Starlink satellite communication terminals used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the front. The restrictions affect the military version of the system — Starshield, which affects the speed of drones using satellite communication. Starshield works faster and is critically important for drone operators: regular Starlink on drones provides speeds of up to 160 km/h, which is not enough for some tasks, a source in the Armed Forces of Ukraine told 'Ukrainska Pravda.' One of the commanders sent the publication a video in which two drones launched into the air 'lost' connection and could not continue their mission.