Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Kyiv received no warning from the United States regarding a Russian missile barrage that struck power plants in the capital at approximately 11 p.m. on Sunday. This assertion has reignited concerns that Washington may be withholding critical intelligence to pressure Ukraine into reaching a settlement with Moscow. The incident marks a growing rift between the two nations, with Zelenskyy openly criticizing what he describes as a “denial of reality” by his international partners.
Yuri Ihnat, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, confirmed on Monday morning that no early warning was received for the initial Sunday evening strike. However, Ihnat noted that Ukraine did receive a warning prior to a subsequent attack that occurred at 3 a.m. Earlier, a Ukrainian government official had informed reporters that the US failed to warn the capital about the impending late-night missile activity.
In a social media post on Monday, President Zelenskyy addressed the incident directly, stating, “Once again, Russia launched a ballistic missile attack in multiple waves throughout the night, and once again, there was no warning from our partners.” He further characterized the situation as a “denial of reality” on the part of Ukraine's partners, specifically citing the blockage of air defense missile supplies and the easing of sanctions on Russia. For years, the US had provided advance notice for ballistic missile launches, allowing authorities to sound alarms and civilians to reach shelters. Ukraine reports that it has not been warned on at least three occasions over the past week.
The criticism follows Donald Trump’s recent decision to waive a comprehensive package of sanctions against Russia, justifying the move to Congress as being in the national interest. Additionally, Ukraine has reported persistent delays in the delivery of PAC-3 air defense missiles. Responding to the tension, Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday that he is currently negotiating for peace and does not want to take actions that would drive Russia away from the bargaining table. He further criticized Zelenskyy, claiming the Ukrainian president does not want to end the war.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in the early hours of Monday, stated he was uncertain if a warning was provided for the Sunday night strike. Rubio noted that a software issue had previously affected the early warning system, though US officials had not mentioned such a glitch before. He added that the military’s European Command is currently investigating the strikes. In at least one previous instance, Ukrainian officials were told that bad weather over southern Russia had obscured preparations for a launch.
The US government has maintained plausible deniability as support services for Ukraine have begun to fail. The Trump administration has denied claims that it is intentionally throttling services, including the Starlink satellite internet network used by Ukrainian forces for drones and air defense. Meanwhile, reports suggest the Trump administration has threatened to slow down weapons deliveries if Ukraine continues to target Russian oil refineries, while also delaying equipment provided through the PURL scheme, where Europe purchases US weapons for delivery to Ukraine.
