A high-ranking Ukrainian official, on Wednesday, accused the United States of helping Russia in its war against Ukraine, stressing that Washington did not warn Kiev in advance about Russian attacks and also slowed down Starlink services.
The official, who spoke to Agence France-Presse and preferred to remain anonymous, added: “We have not received warnings from Washington in two cases so far about the launch of Russian ballistic missiles in a large-scale ballistic attack on the energy sector,” adding that “in addition, the Americans reduced the speed of the Starlink network.”
In addition, a technical advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that restrictions imposed on the operation of Starlink's internet stations prevented Ukraine from confronting jet drones, after a night of widespread Russian attacks across the country.
“By these actions, our partners are depriving us of one of the few means available to us to defend the country against witness drones powered by jet engines,” Sergei Beskrestnov said in a post on Telegram.
At least six people were killed in Russian raids on Ukraine on the night of Tuesday-Wednesday, according to what the authorities reported, at a time when Moscow announced the downing of more than 900 drones launched by Ukraine during the night.
Three people were killed in Kiev, where power was cut off in several neighborhoods, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko and the energy operator. Two other people were killed in the central Dnepropetrovsk region, and one person was killed in the Zaporizhzhya region in southeastern Ukraine, according to local officials.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a power plant in Kiev was hit on Tuesday evening by a Russian missile, without Ukraine receiving any early warning from its Western allies about this attack.
Zelensky said on Facebook: “Russian ballistic missile attack on Kiev.” Once again, there was no advance warning from our partners. The main target was an energy facility, specifically thermal power plant No. 4.”
Ukraine relies on Western military intelligence, especially American, to monitor Russian attacks.
The recent renewed tension between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump raises fears in Kiev that this vital support will decline.
“Our systems only detected these missiles when they were actually approaching Kiev,” Zelensky continued, describing the targeted station as “a key energy facility in Kiev.”
He added: "Not only do the Russians destroy our energy infrastructure, but Ukraine does not even receive advance warnings about the launch of ballistic missiles."
For his part, Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that at least two people were killed in the same attack, which also targeted a residential building in the Desnyansky district, noting that about twenty people were injured.
On the night of Monday-Tuesday, Kiev residents heard explosions caused by Russian strikes, and the air raid alert was not sounded until afterward, something that has happened in the past but was rare.
Zelensky had indicated that Ukraine had not received warning from Westerners about the night attack.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian officials attributed this situation to the Russian army’s use of missiles that are difficult to detect or to possible “technical problems.”
Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Ignat said on television: “It may happen that we do not receive this information, and this is not the first time this has happened, and there are technical aspects that must be taken into account.”
For its part, Russia announced on Wednesday that it shot down 902 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 180 near Moscow.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that “air defense systems destroyed 902 Ukrainian drones overnight” over about 20 Russian regions and the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow annexed.
The mayor of the capital, Sergei Sobyanin, said in a post on the Telegram application that “180 marches were destroyed as they approached Moscow.” This is one of the largest numbers of drones targeting Moscow in recent weeks.
The attacks significantly disrupted operations at Moscow airports, as work at Vnukovo Airport was suspended for more than eight hours, according to relevant authorities.
Zelensky meets Burnham
In a related context, Zelensky will meet British Prime Minister Andy Burnham in London, today, Wednesday, at a time when Britain is seeking to confirm its support for Ukraine, including a pledge for a new package of surface-to-air missiles.
Britain said that it does not support the US-Russian agreement on diesel, and called on the allies to maintain economic pressure on Moscow.
Burnham said in a statement before the meeting: “My message to the Ukrainian people is unequivocal: we are with you no matter what it takes, and we will go further and faster in our support of your courageous struggle for peace in Europe.”
He added that Ukraine's support is necessary to maintain the security of citizens in Britain, pledging to provide more military aid.
He announced a planned delivery of surface-to-air missiles worth £45 million ($59.6 million) to target Russian jet-powered drones.
Britain will accelerate the provision of £10 million from this package to meet Ukraine's urgent needs.
Burnham also asked officials to prepare new sanctions, military aid and financial support.
The Vatican said that Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove the lower lobe of his right lung after being diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, a common type of lung cancer.
Pope Leo, 71 years old, was admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome earlier today to undergo surgery to remove a tumor in his lung that doctors discovered during a recent medical examination.
The Vatican said, in a medical statement, that the surgery that was performed on Tuesday took about 90 minutes and was successful without any complications. The Pope woke up naturally and went to rest in his hospital room.
In response to a question about whether there were any indications that the cancer had spread further, a Vatican source said that additional tests were currently being conducted.
With this operation, the Pope has entered the hospital for the first time since assuming the papacy on May 8, 2025.
The Pope greeted the crowd of 1.4 billion Catholics upon his arrival at Gemili Hospital shortly after one o'clock in the afternoon, where he will stay for about a week.
The Pope announced during his Sunday sermon in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican that doctors discovered the tumor "at a very early stage" during recent medical examinations.
The Pope added: “The doctors saw that surgical intervention was the most appropriate option, and based on their advice, I decided to undergo surgery to remove a tumor” in the lung.
This transparency is unusual in the Vatican, where information related to the health of popes has traditionally been subject to strict secrecy, despite the efforts of his Argentine predecessor, Francis, who died in April 2025, to establish more openness.
The Holy See announced that the Supreme Pontiff's recovery period may take about a week.
All of his appointments until October 20 were cancelled, including a large mass that was scheduled for Wednesday, at the conclusion of a global meeting on the family, in which the new dean of cardinals, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, will act on his behalf.
The American Pope will stay in a private wing on the top floor of Gemili Hospital, equipped with a small chapel, a kitchen, and a meeting room for the medical staff.
The Chicago-born Pope enjoys generally good health, and loves sports, especially tennis, which he continues to practice regularly.
