Ukraine has accused the United States of indirectly aiding Russia by failing to provide early warnings of incoming Russian missile strikes and restricting Starlink satellite internet systems vital to Kiev's battlefield drone operations.
The diplomatic fallout follows two consecutive nights of ballistic missile attacks against the capital, Kiev, where air-raid sirens failed to sound before impacts occurred, killing 15 people nationwide and damaging power plants in Kharkiv, Zhytomyr, Sumy, and Chernihiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the intelligence blackout as "completely unjust", warning that Moscow showed "ostentatious disrespect towards the United States" by breaching a supposed energy ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump.
Zelenskyy also appealed directly to US billionaire Elon Musk to restore full connectivity for Starlink terminals.
In an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, Zelenskyy said: "I hope that it's a mistake, maybe huge technical problem. I don't know, but we are asking to do it, to switch (it) on."
He also responded affirmatively when asked if he felt "betrayed" following Washington’s diesel pact with Moscow: "It's painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side."
Starlink restrictions
Ukrainian defence officials reported that satellite terminals were throttled when drones exceeded 160 km/h—and in some instances 80 km/h—crippling the military's ability to intercept Shahed drones or target Russian-held positions.
Musk stated that any disruptions were the direct responsibility of the US government rather than SpaceX, drawing a clear distinction between civilian Starlink equipment and military Starshield hardware.
"Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS," Musk wrote on X, referring to Trump.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov subsequently noted that connectivity up to 160 km/h was being restored, though he insisted that "removing Starshield's speed limit entirely is now critical for Ukraine's defence."
Meanwhile, in Moscow, Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev confirmed that contracts to supply diesel to the US would be finalised within days.
