Ukraine has accused the United States of indirectly helping Russia by allegedly withholding warnings about impending missile attacks and restricting access to Starlink satellite internet services used by Ukrainian forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to American billionaire Elon Musk to restore the satellite internet service, which Kyiv says has experienced speed reductions affecting military operations, including the deployment of strike and interceptor drones.
Speaking to British journalist Piers Morgan, Zelensky said he hoped the disruption was caused by a technical problem rather than a deliberate decision.
“I hope that it’s a mistake, maybe a huge technical problem,” Zelensky said. “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 allow strike drones and interceptor drones to resume operations.
The dispute comes amid growing tensions between Kyiv and Washington over military assistance, intelligence sharing and the Trump administration’s approach to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Zelensky also expressed disappointment over US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a diesel supply deal with Moscow, despite the sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
“It’s painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side,” Zelensky said.
“I think his advisers are wrong. I don’t know who is pushing him not to the right side. This is not (the) right side of history,” he added.
The Ukrainian leader had earlier criticised what he described as a 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 an energy ceasefire that he said Trump had announced unilaterally.
A senior Ukrainian official said Washington had recently threatened to suspend intelligence sharing on Russian missile launches, information Kyiv relies on to anticipate and counter incoming attacks.
Trump denied taking such action on Tuesday.
Ukrainian defence officials also raised concerns over reported reductions in the speeds of some Starlink terminals, which are used by Ukrainian forces to support military communications and drone operations, including in Russian-occupied territories.
“It’s obvious they (the United States) are helping Russia for some reason,” the senior Ukrainian official told reporters.
Zelensky’s adviser, Sergiy Beskrestnov, also questioned the timing of the reported Starlink restrictions and the Russian attacks, suggesting the developments were connected.
“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,” Beskrestnov wrote on Telegram.
Starlink, operated by Musk’s SpaceX, has played a significant role in Ukraine’s military communications since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The reported disruptions have raised concerns in Kyiv about the potential impact on battlefield coordination and Ukraine’s ability to defend against Russian aerial attacks.
The allegations, however, do not independently establish that Washington deliberately assisted Russia, and the US government has not been shown to have confirmed the claims made by Ukrainian officials.
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