US 'helping Russia' in war, says senior Ukrainian official

KYIV - A senior Ukrainian official has accused the United States of aiding Russia in Ukraine's war, alleging that Washington has failed to warn Kyiv of incoming strikes and is slowing down Starlink internet speeds. The official, who wished to remain anonymous, highlighted two instances where the U.S. did not provide warnings about Russian ballistic launches, a significant attack against Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

Additionally, a technology adviser to the Ukrainian president reported that restrictions on Starlink internet terminal operations were impeding Ukraine's defense against Russia's jet-powered drones following a night of intense Russian strikes. Sergiy Beskrestnov, the adviser, expressed these concerns on Telegram, stating that the U.S. actions are depriving Ukraine of a crucial defense against Russian jet-powered Shahed drones.

Another senior Ukrainian official corroborated reports suggesting that Washington has threatened to terminate intelligence-sharing with Kyiv, which they rely on to detect incoming attacks. The latest allegations further strain relations between the two nations, raising doubts about the intelligence-sharing arrangements, as air raid sirens that were supposed to alert of approaching drones or missiles failed to sound on Monday and Tuesday nights before explosions were heard.

Ukrainian officials attributed the lack of early warnings to the Russian military's use of hard-to-detect missiles or potential technical issues. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized on Tuesday that Ukraine had received no early warning from its partners about ballistic missile launches, calling it "absolutely unjust."