Ukraine received ‘no early warning’ of Russian strikes: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

“Ukraine did not receive an early warning from allies about incoming Russian ballistic strikes that targeted energy facilities in the Kyiv region,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday (October 19, 2026).

“Russia launched 16 ballistic missiles at the Kyiv region and more than 200 drones across the war-torn country,” Mr. Zelenskyy said. AFP reporters heard air alerts and explosions ringing out in the capital.

“Another Russian ballistic missile attack came in several waves overnight, and once again, there was no early warning from our partners,” Mr. Zelenskyy said on social media.

Last week Kyiv said there had been no warning from the United States of similar strikes, leaving virtually no time for residents to take shelter. The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied earlier on Monday (October 19, 2026) that there had been any suspension of intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

“There has been no pause,” Mr. Rubio told reporters in Uzbekistan when asked about Ukraine’s claims, calling on Mr. Zelenskyy to “focus” on ending the war with Russia.

Mr. Trump, who says he has made a deal with Russia to secure fuel exports in exchange for the easing of sanctions, has made renewed attacks on Mr. Zelenskyy in recent days over the war.

The U.S. leader wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday (October 18, 2026) that he was making “great progress” in negotiating peace between Russia and Ukraine, but claimed: “Zelenskyy doesn’t care, and frankly, with all of the money that Europe is famously giving him… he doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did.”

But Mr. Zelenskyy in a post on Monday (October 18, 2026) hit back at the claims, saying that “Ukraine never wanted this war, and we have welcomed literally EVERY attempt by our partners to bring this war to a dignified end”. “Russia’s response, time and again, has been ballistic missiles, ‘shaheds’, and killings,” Mr. Zelenskyy said.

“When deliveries of missiles for Ukraine’s air defence are blocked while Russia is granted relief or delays in sanctions, this is, unfortunately, a denial of reality on the part of our partners,” he added.