Overview
- Russian missile and drone strikes struck Ukrainian energy infrastructure during the night of Oct. 13–14, killing civilians and cutting power for roughly 600,000 people in and beyond Kyiv.
- Ukrainian leaders say they received no advance alerts from Western partners for at least two recent ballistic strikes, a failure they link to their reliance on U.S. satellite intelligence systems used for early warning.
- Kyiv reported that SpaceX limited Starlink terminal performance for devices in motion overnight, a change that Ukrainian officials say disrupted drone interceptions and other battlefield missions.
- The White House and President Trump deny any change in U.S. intelligence sharing, while a senior Ukrainian source told AFP that U.S. envoys had warned of suspending intelligence if Ukraine continued strikes on Russian refineries.
- European companies and policymakers are offering technical alternatives and planning a push for independent capacity, with firms such as Eutelsat and proposals like the EU’s IRIS² initiative presented as ways to reduce reliance on U.S.-controlled satellite links.