Russian ballistic missiles hit Kyiv before sirens, gap that lands hard amid fears that Washington could cut data that warns of launches

On 12 October, Russian forces unleashed a barrage of ballistic missiles at several districts of Kyiv. The Air Force reported that six of these missiles were ballistic. The air-raid alert arrived after the attack had already commenced, as the preliminary data indicates. This delay in the warning system has heightened concerns about the United States potentially cutting off Ukraine's access to such intelligence, following President Donald Trump's agreement with Russia.

The warning gap has been widely criticized, as it leaves civilians with little time to seek shelter. However, Ukraine's radar only detected the ballistic targets during the attack, with no advance information on launches from Russian territory, according to the Air Force. Serhii Beskrestnov, a presidential adviser, emphasized the critical importance of this information for civilians to have time to hide in shelters.

He expressed his lack of belief in the US withholding this data, stating it as a matter of civilian survival. The Air Force noted that the reasons behind this lapse are currently under investigation. While Ukraine typically receives an alert before missile strikes, this was not the case on the 12th. The Air Force also mentioned that suspected S-400 missiles were not being recorded by partners' intelligence services, but they did not explicitly blame the US for the delay.

In Kharkiv, Russian forces launched nine S-8000 Banderol loitering munitions, causing significant damage to a residential building and an ongoing fire. The aftermath in Kyiv was severe, with a missile striking a transport infrastructure site and another hitting a four-story warehouse. Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that the damage was substantial, noting that a stairwell had collapsed under the rubble.