KYIV, Ukraine — The U.S. appears to have stopped sharing some forms of key intelligence with Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said Wednesday, dealing a blow to the country’s capacity to defend its skies and to continue its highly effective mid- and long-range strike campaign.
U.S. President Donald Trump has so far denied that there had been any interruption in Starlink connectivity or incoming missile warnings — the two forms of American intelligence that Ukrainian officials say are no longer flowing freely to Kyiv.
The crisis comes just days after Trump told allies that the U.S. would ease sanctions on Russian diesel last week during peace talks in Miami. He then reportedly threatened to cut off intelligence and weapons sales to Kyiv if it kept striking Russia’s oil infrastructure, according to CNN.
“Ukraine did not strike Russian oil refining and the energy sector in general for two days after the American President announced a ceasefire in the energy sector. But Russia did not listen,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, there was a ballistic missile strike on Kyiv yesterday, and there was no warning from our partners regarding this attack. Usually, such a warning is provided, and it is a crucial factor that aids our defense.”
Partner intelligence is an indispensable asset for Kyiv, which relies on NATO and especially U.S. information for both offensive and defensive operations. Curtailing that relationship could cost civilian lives along with the virtual stalemate Ukraine has managed to establish along the frontline, according to Ukrainian officials.
“Intelligence data on the launch of Russian ballistic missiles helps save people’s lives, and this is one of the most critical issues. This is what helps prevent people being killed when there is a warning about ballistics,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram.
On Sunday, Trump announced an energy ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow — without the confirmation of either party, officials from both countries said.
Ukraine initially resisted Trump’s push to spare Russia’s oil network, repeating that it would stop hitting refineries only if Moscow stopped striking Ukrainian power plants. After Trump declared an “energy ceasefire” that Moscow never accepted, Kyiv held its fire for three days. Russia, however, did not.
Kyiv residents heard at least five powerful explosions Sunday night before air-raid sirens sounded.
Rumors immediately circulated that the missing alert stemmed from a disruption in partner intelligence, but officials initially urged people not to jump to conclusions.
“You can call me an optimist, but I don’t believe (I don’t want to believe) that the United States will leave us without this information,” presidential adviser and communications expert Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov wrote Monday on Telegram, noting that Ukraine still relies on partners for reports of ballistic missile launches.
“Because it’s about the survival of civilians,” he wrote.
But when more missiles and drones struck Kyiv the following day, mainly targeting energy infrastructure and the power grid, reports began surfacing across the country that strike drones, interceptors and frontline vehicles were losing connection above roughly 100 mph (160 km/h), units across the country reported.
By Wednesday, multiple officials confirmed that Elon Musk’s SpaceX had restricted Starshield, the military version of its Starlink service, without notice, just as Kyiv struggles against faster Russian jet drones, larger ballistic and cruise missile barrages and a global shortage of missile interceptors.
“This complicates UAV missions, particularly those involving interceptors and mid-range strike drones, and hampers capabilities for frontline logistics, reconnaissance, and signal relay,” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement on Wednesday.
Zelenskyy ended the pause on hitting Russian energy facilities on Wednesday after Kremlin forces kept striking Ukraine’s grid days after Trump declared a ceasefire.
“We’re done,” he told the Financial Times after making the decision.
Katie Livingstone is the Ukraine correspondent for Defense News and Military Times. Based in Kyiv, she has covered Russia’s full-scale invasion since its first days. She is a former Fulbright fellow whose award-winning work has appeared in outlets across Europe and the U.S.
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