US Intel Still Flows But Missile Warnings May Lag, Zelensky Advisor Says

US intelligence data continues to reach Ukraine, but information needed to provide timely air raid warnings remains inconsistent, presidential adviser Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov said.

“Intelligence data keeps flowing, and the issue is solely with the air raid alert component,” Beskrestnov told the BBC.

He said Ukraine sometimes receives information about an impending attack in advance, but in other cases the warning arrives too late to alert civilians in time.

“Sometimes we receive this information before the attack, another time we do not,” he said. “And for example, last night we received it, but … one minute before the attack.”

Beskrestnov said the lack of timely warnings was dangerous, adding that people had already died as a result.

“It’s dangerous… I think it’s really very bad… People [have] already died,” he told the BBC.

Starlink restrictions add to concerns

Beskrestnov also said restrictions affecting Ukraine’s use of the Starlink satellite internet network remained in place, with Kyiv receiving no clear explanation from the US about who was responsible for them.

Starlink, operated by billionaire Elon Musk’s tech firm SpaceX, and the military-focused Starshield service are used by Ukraine for drone operations, communications between military units and command staff.

Beskrestnov suggested that the simultaneous problems with air raid warnings and Starlink could be an attempt to pressure Ukraine into making concessions in negotiations with Russia.

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“It’s probably the United States trying to say [to] us, ‘Let’s have the conversation, negotiation with Russia, you should find the compromise,’” he said.

The adviser did not provide evidence that the issues were deliberately linked, and the US has not publicly confirmed that the restrictions are intended to pressure Kyiv, though US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Sunday that Ukraine has no access to Starshield.

Ukraine seeks alternatives

Beskrestnov said Ukraine could use its own radar data to provide some limited warning of incoming attacks, but is now exploring alternative communication systems amid uncertainty over future access to Starlink.

He said Kyiv was considering alternatives not only for air defense but also for communications between Ukrainian forces and their command staff, as well as civilian connectivity.

“Now we understand that something is starting to happen with Starlink, and we’re not sure what will be the next step,” Beskrestnov said.

“We understand that we should be prepared for some problems in the future,” he added, saying Ukraine was looking for alternatives because it did not know what to expect regarding Starlink.

Civilian deaths after delayed warnings

Kyiv Post’s review of official reports and damage assessments found that at least six civilians were killed and 21 injured in Russian missile strikes following the reported suspension of US early-warning intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

Kyiv suffered the heaviest losses, while civilians in eastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv and central Ukraine’s Dnipro were also affected. The total toll from ballistic and potentially ballistic missile attacks between Oct. 12 and 19 may have reached around 20 dead and more than 100 wounded.

The first confirmed deadly ballistic missile strike after the reported suspension occurred in Kyiv on the night of Oct. 13-14, when a missile hit a nine-story apartment building, killing three women and injuring dozens.

Another strike hit a non-residential building in the capital’s Holosiivskyi district, killing two people.

During subsequent attacks, Kyiv Post’s review of monitoring data and eyewitness accounts found that early warnings were often issued only moments before impact or after missiles had already struck.

Between Oct. 12 and 19, Russia launched at least five ballistic missile salvos against Ukraine, including an attack involving 39 missiles on the night of Oct. 13-14 and another involving 16 missiles on Oct. 18-19. A recent attack killed a 21-year-old woman and injured eight other civilians in Kyiv.

Kyiv Post estimates that the missiles carried a combined 35-40 tons of explosives.

US officials, including Rubio, have denied that intelligence sharing with Ukraine was suspended. However, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the information was blocked for several days and that Ukraine still lacked timely US-sourced warnings of Russian ballistic missile launches.

Zelensky has also criticized delays in US deliveries of Patriot interceptor missiles, saying Ukraine receives only 12 PAC-3 missiles per month despite existing contracts and payments. He said Russia launches around 100–150 ballistic missiles against Ukraine monthly, leaving Kyiv struggling to match the threat with its available defenses.