OMM Newsroom
Ukrainians have died because Kyiv has not been receiving reliable US warnings of incoming Russian attacks, a key adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky has told the BBC.
Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov said there had not been enough time to warn civilians about ballistic missile strikes. “It’s dangerous... I think it’s really very bad... People [have] already died,” he said.
Beskrestnov said US intelligence provided to Ukraine remained incomplete and inconsistent, and that Washington had not clearly explained the problem. “Sometimes we receive this information before the attack, another time we [do] not,” he said. On one occasion, he added, the warning came “one minute before the attack”.
He said other cooperation with the US was continuing, and that the issue was confined to the air-raid warning component. The White House said there had been no change to intelligence-sharing operations between the two countries.
Zelensky wrote on social media on Monday morning that two ballistic missile attacks on the capital had been reported overnight: one without warning and another with only minimal time to take shelter. Hours earlier, an interview with NBC had been published in which he said intelligence sharing had resumed after a three-day pause. He thanked the US and said it was the only country with the unique intelligence needed to warn Ukraine when Russia uses ballistic missiles.
Ukraine first reported an interruption to intelligence sharing the previous week, amid a dispute with the Trump administration over a controversial deal to import Russian oil. Despite Washington’s denials, many in Kyiv suspect the intelligence issue and restrictions on the “Starlink” network are connected.
Beskrestnov said the US had not clarified who was responsible for continuing restrictions on “Starlink” and its military service, “Starshield”. Kyiv uses the services to connect drones, helicopters and military communications.
The previous week, “Starshield” limited the speed of mobile units that could remain connected to the network to 100mph (160km/h). Beskrestnov said the restriction had limited Ukraine’s ability to shoot down incoming drones and carry out mid-range drone attacks in Russian-occupied areas.
“Starlink” owner Elon Musk said the previous week that the US government ultimately controls access to “Starshield”, which was designed for the Pentagon, suggesting it could be responsible for the restrictions. US President Donald Trump has denied involvement.
Beskrestnov said the timing of the intelligence and network issues was “probably” a deliberate move to pressure Ukraine. He told the BBC that the US was probably trying to urge Kyiv to negotiate with Russia and find a compromise.
Ukraine has its own radar data that can provide some limited warning of incoming attacks, Beskrestnov said. He added that the country was urgently examining alternative communication systems, not only for air defence but also for communication among its forces, staff and civilians, as it was uncertain what to expect from “Starlink” in the future.
Earlier on Monday, Rubio said there had not been a “pause” in intelligence sharing. “I don’t know where [Zelensky is] getting these things or why he’s saying these things to the press,” he told reporters. Rubio said he could not comment on the incident but noted that a few nights earlier there had been a software problem involving Ukraine’s early-warning system.
The BBC said it had contacted “Starlink” for comment. A White House official, speaking on background about intelligence matters, said there had been no changes to intelligence-sharing operations between the US and Ukraine. The official said Trump was focused on ending the war and that the US had provided more aid to Ukraine than any other country.
