The war in Ukraine has continued to rage within the days after President Donald Trump declared an energy ceasefire there, with Russia focusing on civilian and vitality infrastructure because the U.S. applies stress on Kyiv to halt assaults on oil refineries in Russia, which Trump says are guilty for the excessive value of diesel gasoline.
Because the president’s announcement of a partial ceasefire Sunday — masking vitality infrastructure in each international locations — didn’t yield any limits to the combating, he continued to use public stress on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The U.S. government-owned satellite tv for pc infrastructure utilized by Ukraine’s army for drone navigation and air protection on Wednesday was not working at its regular performance, elevating considerations that American help for Kyiv was ebbing.
A firefighter works on the web site of a meals retailer hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia’s assault on Ukraine, in Lutsk, Ukraine, Oct. 14, 2026.
State Emergency Service Of Ukraine through Reuters
Six folks have been killed in strikes in Ukraine on Wednesday, Zelenskyy mentioned.
A protection ministry official in Kyiv mentioned in a single day Wednesday that restrictions positioned on Starshield, a satellite tv for pc communications community owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX however contracted to be used underneath phrases set by the Pentagon, “disrupted” various “vital missions” in Ukraine.
A Ukrainian supply mentioned the restriction gave the Russians “actual leverage on [the] frontline” by inhibiting the army’s potential to defend towards jet-powered Shahed drones. Because the hours handed Wednesday, the Starshield limits started to loosen, however remained a priority for Ukraine.
The supply mentioned SpaceX didn’t warn Ukraine of the transfer or reply questions concerning the rationale for the halt.
Elon Musk, the chief govt of SpaceX, mentioned on Wednesday that “Starshield methods are owned and managed by the US authorities” and “any limits on pace or utilization are determined by the US army and finally [President Trump.]”
The White Home, Pentagon and SpaceX didn’t reply to ABC Information’ requests for remark.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to the media after a German-Ukrainian enterprise discussion board in Kyiv, Ukraine, Oct. 4, 2026.
Dan Bashakov/AP
‘Solely hurts Ukrainian forces,’ analyst says
George Barros, an open-source analyst on the Institute for the Examine of Struggle, mentioned “US choices to throttle [Starshield] solely harms Ukrainian forces on the protection in Ukraine,” noting that Ukrainian forces have by no means been permitted to make use of the SpaceX networks for strikes deep into Russia.
“This resolution will considerably degrade Ukraine’s mid-range strike functionality — a key driver of Ukraine’s current battlefield momentum in 2026,” he mentioned in a submit on X.
Intelligence sharing from army to army is America’s main contribution to Ukraine’s struggle effort, analysts mentioned, offering key early warnings for Russian strikes and focusing on data.
Trump mentioned Tuesday that intelligence sharing was persevering with as ordinary.
A Ukrainian supply in Kyiv on Wednesday mentioned warnings did come in a single day Wednesday — however they have been late.
European allies of Ukraine would look to fill any hole left by a U.S. disadvantage on intelligence sharing, however two European officers acknowledge there would nonetheless be a niche in Ukraine’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.
The battlefield impacts come amid tensions between the U.S. and Ukrainian presidents — and between negotiators engaged on a diplomatic resolution to the battle.
President Donald Trump speaks throughout a marketing campaign rally in Wasilla, Alaska, October 13, 2026.
Evan Vucci/Reuters
Trump says Ukraine inflicting ‘a world drawback’
Trump has insisted the 2 sides cease focusing on vitality infrastructure, however he has centered particularly on Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil refineries. Over the weekend he struck a take care of Moscow to launch diesel exports into international markets.
Trump mentioned on Saturday Ukraine shouldn’t “hit the refineries, as a result of that is [caused] a world drawback.”
After a name with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, Trump mentioned he would authorize a Treasury Division license for the export of Russian diesel, overriding present sanctions.
Gregory Brew, an vitality analyst on the Eurasia Group, mentioned the deal — which might facilitate the export of some 74,000 barrels a day of diesel, a fraction of the quantity Russia exported lower than a yr in the past — was motivated by Trump’s home political calculations.
“All of that is being pushed by the administration’s want to carry down gasoline costs forward of the midterm elections to attempt to enhance Trump and the Republicans’ outlook in that vote,” Brew mentioned. “So that is all being pushed, I might say, largely by short-term issues geared round vitality costs and the midterm election outlook.”
U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators, together with Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, met Friday a couple of potential peace framework in Miami, the place tensions rose over the association with Russia.
Made conscious of the forthcoming announcement from Trump, Ukrainian negotiators reduce the conferences brief, in keeping with a supply aware of the Miami talks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a gathering through video hyperlink on enhancing data safety at a residence exterior Moscow, Oct. 14, 2026.
Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik through Reuters
In search of leverage
Two days after the Miami talks, Trump on Sunday mentioned Ukraine and Russia did conform to a ceasefire on vitality targets, however neither facet corroborated the declare. A U.S. official advised ABC Information Trump’s announcement was pushed by his frustration with the Ukrainian president to compromise on an vitality truce.
Zelenskyy has mentioned he would order his army to abide by a truce provided that Putin would do the identical.
“If Trump actually does need Zelenskyy to make concessions — both to conform to this vitality ceasefire or to allow this this diesel deal [with Russia], or to to bow to a broader deal that’s possibly slightly bit extra favorable to Russia — he’ll search for methods to to train that leverage,” Brew mentioned, referring to a possible curbing of intelligence sharing.
The Kremlin has additionally been mum concerning the ceasefire, with Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying the diesel deal and a broader peace settlement have been on separate tracks.
Peskov reiterated what he known as Moscow’s constant place “that we don’t want a ceasefire” however as a substitute “need lasting peace.”
Trump’s stress marketing campaign on Kyiv could also be aimed toward facilitating his diesel take care of Russia, Brew mentioned.
“I might think about that the Russian requirement for this deal to maneuver ahead is a halt to assaults on refineries,” he mentioned. “Russia wants its refineries to be working underneath splendid circumstances as a way to ramp again up diesel exports.”
Ukrainian Overseas Minister Andrii Sybiha mentioned Wednesday that Ukraine remained able to enter right into a ceasefire, conditional on Russia laying down its arms concurrently. Tensions with the People weren’t new, he mentioned, recalling a Trump outburst within the Oval Workplace a month into his presidency, when he scolded Zelenskyy publicly.
“In lower than two years, Ukraine has gone from ‘You do not have the playing cards’ to ‘Do not play your playing cards,'” Sybiha mentioned Wednesday.
