Ukraine faces rising civilian toll as Starlink restrictions bite
Throttling of mobile internet will hamper air defences more than offensive capabilities, officials warn.
At a glance
- Russia bombed three power plants supplying Kyiv in overnight raids targeting heating and electricity
- President Zelenskyy reported no advance warning from western allies of ballistic missile strikes for two consecutive nights
- Starlink restrictions expected to impact air defence capabilities more than offensive operations
- Faster, jet-powered drones are breaking through Ukraine's air defences
Ukraine is experiencing mounting civilian casualties as military pressures intensify. Russia has conducted overnight bombing raids on power plants supplying Kyiv, targeting the city's heating and electricity infrastructure. According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, air raid warnings were not issued for two consecutive nights due to lack of advance notice from western allies regarding incoming ballistic missiles.
Restrictions on Starlink mobile internet access are expected to affect Ukraine's air defence systems more severely than its offensive operations against Russian oil refineries, according to reports. The situation is compounded by new faster, jet-powered drones that are penetrating Ukraine's stretched air defences.
Why it matters
Civilian casualties are rising amid intensifying military operations and infrastructure attacks. Restrictions on communications systems could further degrade Ukraine's ability to defend against incoming strikes.
Original reporting
This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above and checked against our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.