In brief
Serhii Beskrestnov, adviser to President Zelensky, told the BBC that the U.S. has failed to share timely ballistic missile intelligence, blames the delays for civilian casualties in Kyiv, and complains about restrictions on the Starlink Starshield satellite system used for drones and communications. While Washington denies any changes to intelligence sharing, the overlapping timing of the two issues suggests possible pressure on Kyiv to negotiate with Russia. Kyiv is urgently exploring alternative communication systems as it faces threats to its cyber‑military infrastructure.
Serhii Beskrestnov, a key adviser to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, has warned that the United States is throttling the data the country receives about incoming Russian missile attacks, claiming that the delay has cost civilian lives.
Beskrestnov told the BBC that Ukrainians had died because they were not warned in time about ballistic‑missile attacks on Kyiv – people have already died, he said, describing the warnings as dangerous and bad. The adviser also said the U.S. cuts affect the Starlink satellite network’s Starshield service, which Ukraine uses to patch drones, helicopters and ground communications.
The White House insists there have been no changes to intelligence sharing. Washington’s statement follows a 48‑hour pause in data that the U.S. said was caused by a software problem with early‑warning systems. Kyiv’s officials stress that partial, incomplete alerts are a critical shortcoming that undermines air‑defence readiness.
Beskrestnov suggested that the simultaneous decline in missile‑warning bandwidth and Starlink restrictions could be a deliberate pressure tactic aimed at Ukraine, pushing the nation toward negotiations with Russia. If true, the move would expose Kyiv’s dependency on U.S. technology and tighten limits on its ability to mount counter‑offensives.
The adviser added that Ukraine’s radar still supplies limited warnings, but the country is urgently drafting alternatives. We need to find other ways to maintain communications for forces and civilians, Beskrestnov said, noting that nothing is guaranteed about Starlink going forward.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied any planned pause, calling the issue a software glitch. Meanwhile, a White House official emphasized that Washington remains committed to providing more aid than any other country. The situation demonstrates how cyber interdependencies can become politicized during wartime.
