The decision by the United States to restrict intelligence sharing with Ukraine is killing civilians, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
In an interview with the BBC, Serhii “Flask” Beskrestnov said lives had been lost after Kyiv had suffered from a reduced ability to warn residents of an incoming Russian missile attack.
It follows a prolonged period of fractured relations between Washington and Kyiv after the former signed a diesel deal with Moscow earlier this month.
Ongoing Frustrations
Tensions continue to mount between U.S. and Ukrainian leaders.
The latest spat began earlier this month, when U.S. President Donald Trump announced a deal to secure Russian diesel.
He later called for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stand down shortly afterward. Last week, confusion reigned when the SpaceX-owned Starshield systems were restricted in Ukraine, leaving Ukrainian air defenses effectively redundant against a major Russian ballistic missile attack.
Trump, who announced the suspension of fresh Russian sanctions on Friday, 16th October, once again lashed out at his Ukrainian counterpart in a Truth Social post, arguing that the Ukrainian leader “doesn’t care” about the impact of the strikes on global diesel supply while accusing him of not wanting to end the war amid ongoing financial support for Kyiv.
In the face of ongoing pressure from Washington to accept a compromise peace agreement with Russia, Ukrainian officials have claimed that intelligence sharing has been restricted over the past week.
Previously, Ukraine’s armed forces were advised of a forthcoming missile attack by Russia, allowing air defenses to prepare accordingly and providing civilians with more notice to take shelter.
“Dangerous” Scenario
In his interview with the BBC, Beskrestnov, a key advisor to President Zelensky, said lives had been lost with the country unable to provide adequate warning to civilians ahead of missile and drone attacks. “It’s dangerous… I think it’s really very bad… people [have] already died,” said Beskrestnov.
On the evening of Sunday, 18th October, President Zelensky told NBC News in an interview that intelligence sharing had resumed after a three-day pause.
However, the following morning, the Ukrainian leader said there had “once again [been] no early warning from our partners” after a Russian ballistic missile attack.
“This looks very strange,” Beskrestnov said. “Sometimes we receive this information before the attack, another time we [do] not. And for example, [Sunday] night we received it, but… one minute before the attack,” adding that intelligence data “keeps flowing, and the issue is solely with the air raid alert component.”
The White House has denied changes to intelligence sharing. “I don’t know where [Zelensky is] getting these things or why he’s saying these things to the press,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday. He added that he was aware of a previous “software problem” involving Ukraine’s early warning system.
Starlink Saga
In the BBC interview, Beskrestnov also touched upon the ongoing issues with SpaceX’s Starshield satellite internet service.
Last week, SpaceX’s Starlink services were restricted to speeds of below 100mph, rendering Ukrainian drones effectively redundant against a Russian ballistic missile attack.
“It’s probably the United States trying to say [to] us, ‘let’s have the conversation, negotiation with Russia, you should find the compromise’,” Beskrestnov said of the restrictions.
While Ukraine has its own radar data to warn of forthcoming missile attacks, Beskrestnov said the country was urgently looking into alternative communications systems.
“Now we understand that something [is beginning] to happen with Starlink, and we’re not sure what will be the next step,” Beskrestnov added. “We understand that we should be prepared for some problems in [the] future. And now we’re thinking about an alternative for Starlink, not only for air defense, for communication between our forces, between our staff, for civilians also, because we don’t know what we should expect in the future regarding Starlink.”
Who to Blame
Questions remain as to who made the decision to limit the speed of the technology.
SpaceX founder and former Trump administration official Elon Musk said the Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government, with decisions to limit speed or usage made “by the U.S. military and ultimately POTUS (President of the United States).”
Reports conflict over who first proposed limiting Starshield in Ukraine.
A Daily Telegraph story said Musk approached President Trump with the idea of slowing down the satellite service.
Reuters, however, said the decision came from within the White House.
About the Author: Shay Bottomley
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist. He has written for the Western Standard, Business Insider, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo.
