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Ukraine did not receive an early warning about Russian missiles targeting Kyiv because of a software problem, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty correspondent Alex Raufoglu.
Ukrainian media reported that the United States also failed to provide intelligence on Russian ballistic missile launches toward Kyiv overnight.
“I don’t know what happened last night. A few nights ago, there was a software issue related to Ukraine’s early warning system. US European Command (EUCOM) is looking into it. I can’t comment on what happened last night,” Rubio said.
Rubio insisted that the United States had not suspended intelligence sharing with Ukraine. He questioned where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had obtained information about a possible suspension and why he had discussed it with the media.
“I don’t know where he’s getting that information or why he’s talking to the press about it. You should go back and ask him about that. There was no suspension,” Rubio said.
He added that Zelenskyy should focus on ending the war, saying that this was also what Washington wanted both Ukraine and Russia to prioritize.
On the morning of October 19, Ukraine again reportedly did not receive an early warning about a ballistic missile attack on Kyiv.
According to The Washington Post, US intelligence officials had warned the Ukrainian Embassy that intelligence sharing would be suspended if Ukraine continued striking Russian oil refineries.
Explosions were also reported in Kyiv on the morning of October 19 during a Russian cruise missile attack. Earlier that night, Russian forces launched two ballistic missile strikes on the capital. Preliminary reports said one person had been killed, while the Chernihivska and Lisova metro stations were temporarily closed.
