Did the US withhold missile warnings? Ukraine questions Washington's 'bad weather' explanation after Russian strikes kill six, cut power to 600,000

The United States may have deliberately withheld advance warnings of Russian missile attacks on Ukraine earlier this week, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter who spoke to CBS News. The allegations come as Kyiv faces renewed Russian strikes and reports of disruptions to critical satellite communications technology. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine ‘received no advance warning from our partners’ before Russia launched a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting Kyiv and other locations early on Tuesday.

According to sources cited by CBS News, American officials told their Ukrainian counterparts that the system used to detect Russian missile launches had failed because of ‘bad weather’. However, Ukrainian officials, speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of the issue, said they did not believe the explanation. They accused the United States of instead ‘playing’ with the system. When Russia launched another wave of ballistic missiles at around 3 am local time on Wednesday, the sources said the US early-warning system appeared to be functioning again. The sources also alleged that the United States had failed to provide intelligence about Russian ballistic missile launches on one previous occasion earlier this year, citing the need to redirect resources towards the Middle East.

Russian strikes kill six, disrupt power supplies

Zelenskyy said Russia launched more than 39 ballistic missiles and over 120 attack drones and loitering munitions during an overnight assault on Wednesday. The attacks primarily targeted energy facilities and other critical infrastructure in Kyiv and Kharkiv, killing six people and leaving approximately 600,000 without electricity, according to the Ukrainian president. The alleged failure to provide advance warnings has raised questions about the status of intelligence cooperation between Washington and Kyiv.

Asked on Tuesday whether the United States had stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine, President Donald Trump denied that assistance had been suspended. “No, we haven't. We help them, but we're really helping them get to a final answer. We want the war ended.” "We are helping them, and we are sharing intel. We want the war to end, so we're working with them and with Russia on getting the war to end," Trump said.

US reportedly threatens to restrict intelligence sharing

The dispute comes amid broader tensions over Washington's military support for Ukraine. Earlier this week, the Trump administration threatened to halt intelligence sharing and suspend the purchase of US-made weapons by European allies for Ukraine through the PURL procurement system unless Kyiv stopped conducting deep strikes against Russian energy infrastructure, a European official and a Ukrainian official told CBS News.

Ukraine depends heavily on American intelligence for both offensive and defensive military operations. This includes satellite information and aircraft sensor data used to detect Russian aircraft and missile launches. However, sources familiar with the matter told CBS News that Washington had not suspended intelligence sharing with Ukraine overall, describing the missing advance warning before this week's attacks as an isolated incident.

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Starlink disruptions raise additional concerns

Ukrainian officials and military personnel also told CBS News that the country's forces began experiencing difficulties with Starlink satellite communications on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Starlink, owned by SpaceX, has become a crucial communications tool for Ukrainian forces, enabling troops to coordinate operations and conduct strikes in areas affected by electronic warfare.

In an interview with CBS News earlier this year, Ukraine's former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov described Starlink as one of the country's most important technologies. Sources within Ukraine's Ministry of Defense told CBS News that restrictions had affected military satellite terminals used by Ukrainian forces. "On the night of 14 October, without warning the Defence Forces, SpaceX unilaterally restricted the operation of Starshield terminals ('military package') while in motion. This complicates UAV missions, particularly interceptors and middle-strike drones, and reduces capabilities for frontline logistics, reconnaissance and signal relay," sources in Ukraine's Ministry of Defense told CBS News. “At present, the Ministry of Defence is in contact with the United States, SpaceX and NATO partners, is collecting data from all units, and backup communication channels are being tested and put into use.”

Zelenskyy urges Washington to respond

The developments have intensified pressure on Washington to respond to Russia's continued attacks. On Wednesday, Zelenskyy arrived in the United Kingdom for meetings with Prime Minister Andy Burnham and other officials, while calling for a stronger American response to the latest Russian strikes. "The strike was absolutely deliberate and indicative in its scale — such a demonstrative disrespect from Russia toward America has never happened before. Russia does not consider the statements of the President of America to be strong," he wrote on X. “We ask America and EVERYONE in the world who does not close their eyes to reality to respond, and to respond harshly.”