Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Received No Early Warning Before Kyiv Strikes
(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Kyiv had not received advance warnings from its international partners before Russia launched overnight attacks on the Ukrainian capital, raising concerns about the availability and timing of intelligence on incoming ballistic missiles.
In a statement published on X, Zelenskyy said Russia had deployed more than 100 weapons of different types during the attacks, including ballistic missiles, which struck civilian infrastructure.
“Unfortunately, we received no early warning from our partners about this strike. Intelligence on Russian ballistic missile launches helps save lives, and this is one of the most critical issues. This is precisely what helps prevent people from being killed – when there is an early warning about ballistic missiles,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian leader also addressed the energy ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump, saying Kyiv had refrained from attacking Russian oil refineries and the country's wider energy sector during the two days following the announcement.
He accused Moscow of continuing attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure despite the proposed pause in strikes against energy facilities.
“But Russia did not heed the American President. During this time, the Russians have attacked both our energy facilities and our critical infrastructure, sending absolutely clear signals that they have no intention of refraining from strikes on Ukraine,” Zelenskyy added.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine remained prepared to take “reciprocal steps toward de-escalation,” but argued that Russia would need to face effective pressure for diplomatic efforts to produce results. He maintained that ending the conflict depended on convincing the party responsible for the aggression that continuing the war would not achieve its objectives.
“Global pressure on Russia contributes to exactly that – bringing peace closer. But direct or indirect support for Russia, slowing down assistance to Ukraine, and making it harder to protect lives against ballistic missiles will certainly not help bring peace. Everyone needs peace. A strong America, a strong Europe, and strong partners are needed,” he added.
The overnight assault also caused damage in Kyiv. The city's military administration reported that one person was injured after a strike affected a residential building in the Darnytskyi district.
Ukrainian authorities said their air defenses intercepted 88 of the 108 Russian drones launched overnight. The Ukrainian Air Force separately reported that Russia had fired five Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles at the country from the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv continued to receive intelligence information from the United States, offering a more detailed account of the ongoing cooperation between the two countries.
“Yes, we continue this cooperation (with the American side). And, also, it is true that yesterday’s attack, or night attack, (the) air raid alert was launched with a delay. But it is because of (the) special type of the weaponry which was used by (the) Russian side,” Sybiha said during a panel discussion at the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland.
His comments indicated that the delayed air raid alert may have been connected to the type of weapons used in the Russian attack, rather than a complete interruption of intelligence cooperation with Washington.
The statements came amid reports of tensions between the United States and Ukraine over Kyiv's attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. A report published over the weekend, citing people familiar with the matter, said US envoys had raised the possibility of suspending intelligence sharing if Ukraine failed to comply with Washington's warning to stop striking Russian energy facilities.
The reported discussions took place during meetings between American and Ukrainian representatives on Friday. However, Sybiha's remarks indicated that intelligence cooperation was continuing, even as questions remained over the timing of warnings before the latest Russian attack.
The developments highlight the challenges facing Ukraine as it seeks to protect its population and critical infrastructure while maintaining cooperation with international partners. They also underscore the continuing disagreements over military strategy, energy infrastructure strikes and the conditions needed to advance efforts toward de-escalation.
In a statement published on X, Zelenskyy said Russia had deployed more than 100 weapons of different types during the attacks, including ballistic missiles, which struck civilian infrastructure.
“Unfortunately, we received no early warning from our partners about this strike. Intelligence on Russian ballistic missile launches helps save lives, and this is one of the most critical issues. This is precisely what helps prevent people from being killed – when there is an early warning about ballistic missiles,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian leader also addressed the energy ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump, saying Kyiv had refrained from attacking Russian oil refineries and the country's wider energy sector during the two days following the announcement.
He accused Moscow of continuing attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure despite the proposed pause in strikes against energy facilities.
“But Russia did not heed the American President. During this time, the Russians have attacked both our energy facilities and our critical infrastructure, sending absolutely clear signals that they have no intention of refraining from strikes on Ukraine,” Zelenskyy added.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine remained prepared to take “reciprocal steps toward de-escalation,” but argued that Russia would need to face effective pressure for diplomatic efforts to produce results. He maintained that ending the conflict depended on convincing the party responsible for the aggression that continuing the war would not achieve its objectives.
“Global pressure on Russia contributes to exactly that – bringing peace closer. But direct or indirect support for Russia, slowing down assistance to Ukraine, and making it harder to protect lives against ballistic missiles will certainly not help bring peace. Everyone needs peace. A strong America, a strong Europe, and strong partners are needed,” he added.
The overnight assault also caused damage in Kyiv. The city's military administration reported that one person was injured after a strike affected a residential building in the Darnytskyi district.
Ukrainian authorities said their air defenses intercepted 88 of the 108 Russian drones launched overnight. The Ukrainian Air Force separately reported that Russia had fired five Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles at the country from the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv continued to receive intelligence information from the United States, offering a more detailed account of the ongoing cooperation between the two countries.
“Yes, we continue this cooperation (with the American side). And, also, it is true that yesterday’s attack, or night attack, (the) air raid alert was launched with a delay. But it is because of (the) special type of the weaponry which was used by (the) Russian side,” Sybiha said during a panel discussion at the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland.
His comments indicated that the delayed air raid alert may have been connected to the type of weapons used in the Russian attack, rather than a complete interruption of intelligence cooperation with Washington.
The statements came amid reports of tensions between the United States and Ukraine over Kyiv's attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. A report published over the weekend, citing people familiar with the matter, said US envoys had raised the possibility of suspending intelligence sharing if Ukraine failed to comply with Washington's warning to stop striking Russian energy facilities.
The reported discussions took place during meetings between American and Ukrainian representatives on Friday. However, Sybiha's remarks indicated that intelligence cooperation was continuing, even as questions remained over the timing of warnings before the latest Russian attack.
The developments highlight the challenges facing Ukraine as it seeks to protect its population and critical infrastructure while maintaining cooperation with international partners. They also underscore the continuing disagreements over military strategy, energy infrastructure strikes and the conditions needed to advance efforts toward de-escalation.
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