US Intelligence Cuts and Starlink Limits Raise Pressure Questions on Ukraine

Ukraine reports two consecutive nights of Russian attacks without prior warning from US intelligence, while Starlink services in Ukraine face restrictions, raising questions about whether the US is pressuring Kyiv to make concessions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attacks came without alerts from the US or allies, and Ukraine reported reduced Starlink access. An anonymous Ukrainian official told AFP that "the US is helping Russia with the war in Ukraine." The US denies changing its intelligence-sharing policy, with an unnamed American official saying the line is unchanged. Experts are divided on whether the restrictions are deliberate. Former Norwegian defense chief Arne Bård Dalhaug believes the US is intentionally limiting both intelligence and Starlink to pressure Ukraine into concessions, while researcher Fabian Hoffmann says early warning intelligence has not been cut, though Starlink limitations appear intentional. Elon Musk stated Starshield systems are controlled by the US military, while Starlink is a commercial service restricted to civilian or defensive use.