Zelensky: Partners Failed to Warn Ukraine of Ballistic Missile Launches Toward Kyiv

On October 12, five Russian ballistic missiles struck civilian infrastructure in Kyiv. Ukraine did not receive an advance warning from its international partners about the attack.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said:

“Russia launched a ballistic missile attack on Kyiv, with five missiles hitting civilian infrastructure. Unfortunately, our partners did not warn us about this attack in advance.”

According to Zelensky, intelligence about Russian ballistic missile launches helps save lives and remains one of the most critical issues.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed to Ukrinform that Ukraine continues to receive intelligence from the United States.

Ballistic Missile Launch Warning System

U.S. satellite-based early warning systems play a significant role in detecting missile launches.

According to him, the delay in issuing the air raid alert was due to the enemy’s use of a specific type of weapon, rather than a suspension of assistance. BBC sources in military circles also confirmed this.

Spacecraft equipped with infrared sensors detect the rocket engine’s heat signature at launch. This makes it possible to detect ballistic missile launches from Russian territory within the first few seconds of flight. The system then processes the information and relays it to military command.

European countries currently lack their own satellite constellations equipped with similar infrared sensors capable of detecting missile launches during the boost phase of flight.

Europe’s space-based early warning system is still under development.

For example, Germany plans to establish a constellation of more than 100 military satellites in low Earth orbit in the coming years to provide secure communications and track missiles.

Meanwhile, European countries have long-range ground-based radar stations and electronic intelligence capabilities. These systems can detect missiles once they rise above the radar horizon.