Ukrainian drone operations slowed after restrictions were suddenly imposed on the battlefield use of the country's US-made Starlink communication terminals, officials said Wednesday, as Kyiv endured a second consecutive night of missile attacks.
asserted
Kyiv → slow → attacks
Zelenskyy's drone arsenal slows after Musk's Starlink curbs as US support wanes and Trump warms to Putin.
asserted
Trump → slow → Putin
Ukraine also did not receive the usual advance warning from its Western partners about devastating Russian ballistic missiles targeting Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
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Zelenskyy → receive → Kyiv
The development has raised concerns that Ukraine may be losing access to vital intelligence, particularly from the US.
uncertain
Ukraine → raise → US
Zelenskyy did not specify which partners he was referring to when he spoke about the lack of warning.
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he → specify → warning
US President Donald Trump has said Washington has not stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine.
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Washington → say → Ukraine
The developments have frustrated the Ukrainian military and fuelled fears that Kyiv's relationship with Washington is deteriorating.
Ukrainian officials are concerned that US support for the war effort could be weakening after Trump struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel, despite international efforts to sanction Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine and isolate Putin.
uncertain
Trump → frustrate → Putin
Trump has also criticised Zelenskyy.
asserted
Trump → criticise → Zelenskyy
On Saturday, he said it was time for Ukraine to get a new president, suggesting Zelenskyy had failed to do enough to end the war and blaming him for high diesel prices in the US.
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Zelenskyy → say → US
Trump's efforts to end the fighting have yielded no progress.
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efforts → end → progress
Starlink is essential for Ukraine
Ukrainian officials fear that US support, particularly military intelligence sharing and access to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite communications system, could be at risk.
uncertain
support → fear → risk
SpaceX, Musk's company, imposed a speed limit on Ukraine's Starlink terminals mounted on drones overnight, Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Zelenskyy, said on social media.
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Beskrestnov → impose → media
The restriction disrupted operations and made slower-flying attack drones more vulnerable to Russian air defences.
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drones → disrupt → defences
By late Wednesday, drone operators were reporting improved data connections, with speeds reaching 161 kph (100 mph), Zelenskyy said.
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Zelenskyy → report → kph
However, a Ukrainian official said the speed remained insufficient to intercept jet-powered Russian drones and that all restrictions needed to be lifted.
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restrictions → say → drones
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the details involved sensitive military information.
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details → speak → information
Musk said on X that the military version of Starlink is controlled by the US military and Trump.
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version → say → military
The Pentagon and US Space Force did not immediately respond to questions about whether the American military had imposed any restrictions on satellite communications services in Ukraine.
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military → respond → Ukraine
Starlink is a crucial tool for Ukraine's military, supporting both offensive and defensive operations.
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Starlink → support → operations
The network is used for long-range drone missions, interceptor air-defence systems and frontline logistics, Beskrestnov said.
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Beskrestnov → use → missions
“Obviously, this action cannot be a coincidence and is connected to the current political situation,” Beskrestnov said, without elaborating.
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Beskrestnov → connect → situation
The White House did not immediately comment.
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House → comment → ?
Kyiv received no warning before initial ballistic missile attack
Ukraine's air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said Kyiv received no warning before an initial Russian ballistic missile attack on Tuesday night, although warnings were issued ahead of three subsequent waves of missiles.
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warnings → receive → missiles
A lawmaker on Ukraine's parliamentary Defence Committee told The Associated Press that intelligence sharing with international partners had not stopped.
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sharing → tell → partners
The lawmaker spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the press.
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they → speak → press
Five people were killed and 36 wounded in a Russian attack on Kyiv that lasted from Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, police said.
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police → kill → morning
Russia continues strikes on Ukraine's power grid despite Trump's truce demand
Zelenskyy expressed outrage Wednesday over Russia's continued aerial bombardment of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, apparently defying Trump's call for a ceasefire.
“We ask America and EVERYONE in the world who does not turn a blind eye to reality to respond — and to respond forcefully” to Russia's continued aerial attacks, Zelenskyy said in a social media post.
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Zelenskyy → continue → post
“Russia has squandered the opportunity for de-escalation and has clearly chosen to continue its insane war of annihilation,” he said.
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he → squander → annihilation
Russian forces targeted Ukraine's power grid, oil facilities and gas infrastructure for a third consecutive night, Zelenskyy said.
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Zelenskyy → target → night
The attacks came after Trump claimed Russia and Ukraine had agreed not to target energy infrastructure, more than four years after Moscow launched its invasion.
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Moscow → come → invasion
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has agreed to halt Ukraine's months-long campaign against Russian oil refineries, which had caused fuel shortages in Russia.
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which → agree → Russia
Ukraine's last widely reported strike on an oil refinery took place on Friday.
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strike → report → Friday
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak accused Ukraine of attacking more refineries on Wednesday, but local officials and independent media did not report such attacks.
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officials → accuse → attacks
Ukraine dismissed the allegation as false.
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Ukraine → dismiss → allegation
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that details of the energy ceasefire were still being worked out.
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details → say → ceasefire
“The work in that direction is continuing,” he told reporters.
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he → continue → reporters
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had attacked Ukraine's energy infrastructure in Kyiv, the wider Kyiv region and the northeastern Kharkiv region overnight, striking six power plants.
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forces → say → plants
Russian forces struck all three of Kyiv's combined heat and power plants overnight into Wednesday, Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said.
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Koretskyi → strike → Wednesday
At least 600,000 people were left without electricity, Zelenskyy said.
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Zelenskyy → leave → electricity
Russia fired 39 ballistic missiles and more than 120 drones at energy and other infrastructure in Kyiv, the surrounding region and Kharkiv overnight, Zelenskyy said.
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Zelenskyy → fire → Kyiv
…and 14 more, not listed.
The Aporia
