In “Survival Mode”

Kyiv Is Burning Again—Allies Sound the Alarm

Kyiv was once again hit hard by Russian missiles …(Bild: Krone-Collage/AFP/HANDOUT, AP/Efrem Lukatsky)

The situation in Ukraine continues to escalate. Once again, Russian ballistic missiles have targeted Kyiv without warning to allies, and SpaceX has restricted its Starlink satellite service. This has also caused an international uproar—a European foreign minister personally attacked Elon Musk.

Ballistic missiles from Russia also spread fear and terror in Kyiv overnight into Wednesday. A nine-story residential building was hit, Klitschko reported. At least two people reportedly died a gruesome death, and more than 20 were injured.

Once again, international partners failed to provide any warnings about incoming missiles, according to presidential adviser Dmytro Lytwyn. The Ukrainian Air Force also confirmed this. Since 2022, the country had generally relied primarily on intelligence data from the U.S. military, as well as from other NATO member states.

SpaceX Restricts Starlink Use for the Military
The U.S. space company also restricted the Ukrainian military’s use of its Starlink satellite network without prior warning. The military version of the communications service no longer works at speeds exceeding 160 kilometers per hour, wrote Serhiy Beskrestnov, an advisor to the Ukrainian president, on Telegram.

This has disrupted combat operations. “This has led to the failure of some missions,” Beskrestnov wrote. He attributed the restriction to the “current political situation.” The Ukrainian military uses satellite internet, among other things, to remotely control drones as they approach their targets. The problem: These drones typically fly faster than 160 kilometers per hour. 

Hey, Elon Musk, big shot, are you playing politics with your products again?

Radoslaw Sikorski

Bild: EPA/RADEK PIETRUSZKA

In neighboring Poland, too, the government is watching the situation with concern and annoyance. “Hey, Elon Musk, big shot, are you playing politics with your products again?” Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski wrote on X. “As your European customers, we’re keeping an eye on you.”

Alarm bells are ringing within NATO as well due to the new chill in relations between Washington and Kyiv. Secretary General Mark Rutte has called on NATO member states to do more to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian attacks. “With winter approaching and Russia’s relentless aggression, the allies must do more, especially to support air defense,” Rutte said Wednesday in the Estonian capital, Tallinn.

Moscow Ignores Energy Cease-Fire
Furthermore, the “energy cease-fire” announced by U.S. President Donald Trump—under which both sides were supposed to refrain from attacking such facilities—is not being taken seriously by the Kremlin.

According to the Ministry of Defense in Moscow, seven Ukrainian energy facilities, as well as a data center where intelligence on the Russian armed forces is gathered, were attacked last night. In addition, two combined-cycle power plants in the capital, another in the surrounding region, as well as a combined-cycle power plant and a thermal power plant in Kharkiv were reportedly hit.

Russia has never before shown such ostentatious disrespect toward the United States.

Wolodymyr Selenskyj

Bild: AP/Efrem Lukatsky

Zelenskyy is certain that the scale of the strike was entirely intentional and demonstrative: “Russia has never shown such ostentatious disrespect toward the United States.” The Ukrainian president is convinced that the government in Moscow does not consider the U.S. president’s statements to be strong.

Zelenskyy laments widespread disruptions caused by drones
Given the ongoing fighting and the pressure on energy facilities, Kyiv’s mayor says the city will have to switch to “survival mode” for the winter. The French newspaper “Le Monde” reports that a public dispute has already broken out between Zelenskyy and Klitschko.

The head of state pointed out the inadequate protection of the capital’s energy infrastructure and emphasized that Kyiv’s level of preparedness actually lags behind that of some regions located on the front lines or near the border. Residents themselves are feeling the consequences of this vulnerability: even drone attacks have led to widespread disruptions in electricity and water supplies.

Klitschko rejected the allegations and characterized them as an attempt to remove him from the city’s leadership. The mayor reminded everyone that his authority is based on the will of the citizens and that, under the current difficult circumstances, he is making the most of every available opportunity.