US Gives Ukraine Early Warnings of Russian Strikes
Source reports published 19 Oct 2026, 10:00 am – 21 Oct 2026, 3:30 am AEST
Ukraine received early warnings about Russian missile attacks again, following a phone call between Zelenskyy and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The US has been criticized for withholding intelligence and slowing deliveries of air defense missiles.
What happened
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv was receiving early warnings about Russian missile attacks, a change following a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
- Yuri Ihnat, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian air force, confirmed that Ukraine had not received a warning before the initial missile barrage on Sunday evening.
- Earlier, a Ukrainian government official reported that the US had not warned the capital about the impending strike.
- The US has maintained plausible deniability as services and programmes provided to support Ukraine have suddenly begun to fail.
- Donald Trump, speaking on Truth Social, said his decision on Russia was to facilitate peace negotiations and avoid driving Russia away from the bargaining table.
- Rubio acknowledged frustration over intelligence sharing and weapons supplies, denying any changes to previous policy.
- Steve Witkoff, the US envoy, planned to travel to St. Petersburg to meet with Russian leaders and share proposals from European and American colleagues.
- Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the resumption of early warnings, emphasizing their importance for civilian safety.
- The US President continued to pressure Zelenskyy to make a deal with Russia, citing the significant support provided to Ukraine without receiving desired results.
Original reporting
- Guardian: US gave us no warning of Russian strikes on Kyiv power plants, Zelenskyy says
2026-10-19T00:00:00+00:00 - PBS NewsHour: Zelenskyy says early warning system for Russian missile attacks resumes after call with Rubio
2026-10-20T17:30:51+00:00 - South China Morning Post: Ukraine getting early warnings about Russian missiles again, ‘grateful’ Zelensky says
2026-10-20T09:44:50+00:00