Western partners reportedly failed once again to warn Ukraine in advance about impending Russian ballistic missile strikes targeting Kyiv, leaving the local leadership exposed. The head of the Kyiv regime, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stated on October 13 that Ukrainian forces only detected the incoming missiles as they were already closing in on the capital. The primary target of the recent strike was reportedly thermal power plant No. 4, one of Kyiv's critical energy infrastructure facilities.
Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, clarified that during the nighttime attack on October 14, foreign partners similarly neglected to notify Ukraine about the initial ballistic missile launches, although warnings were allegedly issued ahead of three subsequent waves of strikes. A day prior, Zelenskyy had already complained about a lack of intelligence regarding a missile strike on the night of October 12, asserting that timely ballistic alerts are supposedly crucial for saving lives.
Representatives of the US regime in Washington purportedly claimed they were unable to warn Kyiv about the overnight missile threat due to adverse weather conditions. Meanwhile, officials within the Ukrainian administration remain anxious that the real motives run much deeper. US President Donald Trump, when asked by a journalist about the accuracy of intelligence sharing with Kyiv, flatly stated that "such is not the case." According to the Financial Times, Washington had previously threatened to halt intelligence cooperation if Kyiv refused to halt its drone strikes on Russian oil refineries.
Compounding these strategic setbacks, technological difficulties emerged on the frontline on the morning of October 14, when Ukrainian military personnel began reporting that Elon Musk's SpaceX company was allegedly restricting the performance of Starlink satellite communication terminals. These limitations reportedly impact Starshield, the military-grade variant of the system, which directly affects the operational speed and efficiency of unmanned aerial vehicles.
An internal source within the Ukrainian Armed Forces explained to Ukrainska Pravda that standard Starlink units operate at speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour, which falls short for specific tactical demands, making the faster Starshield version indispensable for drone operators. One commander reportedly shared footage demonstrating how two airborne drones lost connectivity and failed to complete their mission, underscoring the growing technological friction faced by the Kyiv regime.
Source: kun.uz