Ukraine accuses US of helping Russia amid Starlink restrictions, intelligence row

Ukraine has accused the United States of indirectly aiding Russia by withholding warnings about impending missile attacks and undermining Kyiv’s military operations through reported changes to the Starlink satellite internet system used by Ukrainian forces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to US billionaire Elon Musk to restore the Starlink service, which Kyiv says has experienced reduced speeds affecting its battlefield operations.

“I hope that it’s a mistake, maybe a huge technical problem,” Zelensky told British journalist Piers Morgan. “I don’t know, but we are asking to do it, to switch (it) on.”

Former Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov later announced that Starlink services supporting speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour were being restored, a development he said would enable strike drones and interceptor drones to resume flying.

Zelensky also said he felt betrayed when asked about US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a diesel supply deal with Moscow, which remains under heavy sanctions.

“It’s painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side. “I think his advisors are wrong. I don’t know who is pushing him not to the right side. This is not (the) right side of history,” he said. 

The Ukrainian leader had earlier condemned what he described as an unjust failure by allies to warn Kyiv ahead of a series of powerful attacks late Tuesday and early Wednesday. He also accused Russia of deliberately violating what he said was an energy ceasefire announced unilaterally by Trump.

A senior Ukrainian official confirmed that Washington had recently threatened to suspend intelligence sharing on Russian missile launches, information Kyiv relies on to anticipate and counter attacks. Trump denied taking such action on Tuesday.

Ukrainian defence officials also suggested that Washington was responsible for reported reductions in the speeds of some Starlink internet terminals. The systems are used by Ukrainian forces to support military operations in Russian-occupied territory and operate interceptor drones.

“It’s obvious they (the United States) are helping Russia for some reason,” the senior official told reporters.

Zelensky’s adviser, Sergiy Beskrestnov, also argued that the timing of the attacks and the reported Starlink restrictions was more than a coincidence.

“Through their actions, our partners are depriving us of one of the few chances we have to defend the country against jet-powered Shahed drones,” he wrote on Telegram.