Zelensky Adviser Claims US Intelligence Delays Led to Ukrainian Deaths

A key adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asserted that delays in receiving US intelligence warnings about incoming Russian attacks have led to Ukrainian deaths, and that restrictions on the Starlink internet network persist. Serhii Beskrestnov, known as "Flash," told the BBC that insufficient time to warn civilians about ballistic missile strikes has proven dangerous and resulted in casualties. "People [have] already died," he stated.

Beskrestnov also indicated that ongoing restrictions to Ukraine's use of the Starlink internet service and its military counterpart, Starshield, are impacting military operations. Last week, Starshield reportedly restricted the speed of mobile units connected to the network to 100 mph (160 km/h), hindering Ukraine's ability to intercept drones or conduct drone attacks into Russian-occupied territories. Starlink owner Elon Musk has stated that the US government controls access to Starshield, which was designed for the Pentagon.

Despite these claims, the White House maintains that there have been no changes to intelligence sharing operations with Ukraine. A White House official, speaking on background, said the US remains focused on ending the war and has provided significant aid to Ukraine. Similarly, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Monday that there had not been a "pause" in intelligence sharing, suggesting that a recent issue might have been a software problem with Ukraine's early warning system.

However, Beskrestnov told the BBC that American intelligence regarding missile attacks has been inconsistent. "Sometimes we receive this information before the attack, another time we [do] not," he said, adding that on occasion, warnings have arrived only a minute before an attack. He clarified that while other intelligence data continues to flow, the specific issue lies with the air raid alert component.

Beskrestnov suggested that the concurrent issues with intelligence sharing and Starlink restrictions could be a deliberate US tactic to pressure Ukraine into negotiations with Russia. "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 told BBC News.

Ukraine possesses its own radar data for limited warnings but is exploring alternative communication systems. Beskrestnov expressed concern about future Starlink reliability, stating, "We understand that we should be prepared for some problems in future. And now we're thinking about an alternative for Starlink, not only for air defence, for communication between our forces, between our staff, for civilians also, because we don't know what we should expect in future regarding Starlink."

Earlier on Monday, President Zelensky had also commented on the situation, writing on social media about two ballistic missile attacks on the capital overnight, one without warning and the second with minimal time to take shelter. In a published interview, he had previously expressed gratitude for restored intelligence sharing after a three-day pause, emphasizing the unique capability of the United States to provide timely warnings about Russian ballistic missile launches.