Ukraine accuses US, Starlink of aiding Russia as strikes hit Kyiv, disrupt power supply

Ukraine has accused the United States of failing to provide timely warnings about Russian missile strikes and raised concerns over restrictions on Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet system, which its forces rely on for battlefield communications and frontline logistics.

The accusations come amid worsening ties between Kyiv and Washington after US President Donald Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel last week and criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump has also urged Kyiv to stop attacking Russian oil refineries and suggested Ukraine should replace its wartime leader, amid pressure to bring down fuel prices that have risen since the US launched its war against Iran.

Russian strikes kill nine, disrupt power supply

Russian air attacks killed at least nine people in Ukraine on Wednesday and left hundreds of thousands without electricity after sustained strikes on energy infrastructure. The Russian Defence Ministry said its forces had carried out a "massive" strike on communications and energy infrastructure, hitting power and heating plants in Kyiv and the surrounding region, along with an electricity substation.

The attacks followed two consecutive nights of ballistic missile strikes on the Ukrainian capital, with missiles reportedly hitting before air raid sirens could provide timely warnings. Damage to energy facilities cut electricity supplies to more than 600,000 people.

Reacting to the attacks, Zelensky said Russia had shown open disrespect towards the United States.

"Russia does not consider the American President's statements strong," he said.

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Ukraine questions US support as Washington denies policy shift

Zelensky said the failure of Ukraine's Western partners to provide advance warnings about Russian ballistic missile launches was "completely unjust".

Such gaps have been reported only rarely during the nearly five-year conflict, with Ukrainian officials previously pointing to hard-to-detect missiles or possible technical issues.

Zelensky's adviser Sergiy Beskrestnov also linked the attacks to Starlink restrictions, describing the satellite network as the "most effective solution" for protecting Ukraine against Russian jet-powered attacks that can travel at up to 600 kilometres per hour.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin said it was monitoring developments for signs of a shift in US support for Kyiv.

"We are carefully noting all this. It is too early to draw any systemic conclusions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

However, Trump insisted on Tuesday that Washington was still helping Ukraine. A US official told AFP on Wednesday that the country's policy had "not changed", while the European Union said there were no indications that intelligence sharing had stopped.