Photo: Depositphotos
Washington blocks Kyiv’s access to satellite data
Ukraine has lost the support of Western experts who helped process satellite intelligence at the military headquarters in Kyiv. This was reported by the American magazine Time, citing a source close to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“There is no one left,” the source said, without specifying which partners he was referring to.
The decision follows the Donald Trump administration’s policy of denying Ukraine access to US satellite imagery. Western and Ukrainian officials quoted by Time point out that this change has significantly strengthened Russia’s position on the frontline, especially in strategically important areas.
Hundreds of casualties and loss of control over important positions
Ukrainian military officers openly talk about the catastrophic consequences of this decision.
“Hundreds of Ukrainians died because of this pause. It really gives the enemy an advantage on the front line,” said one of them.
He also noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are forced to fight without some critical weapons systems not because of Russia’s more powerful attacks, but because of the “American retreat” from its commitments.
Critical situation in the Kursk region
Ukraine felt the loss of satellite intelligence in Russia’s Kursk region most acutely. According to Time, Ukrainian forces had been holding certain positions there since August 2024, which Zelenskyy considered a key argument in future peace talks on the exchange of territories.
However, after the US stopped sharing intelligence, Russian troops, together with North Korean units, began to advance rapidly in the region, trying to cut Ukrainian supply lines.
“Operations in the Kursk area have suffered the most due to the loss of access to US intelligence,” a Ukrainian government official confirmed.
The Ukrainian military lost the ability to detect the approach of Russian bombers and missile strikes in a timely manner. This made it much more difficult to evacuate civilians and the military from potentially affected areas.
“This is very dangerous for our people,” a government source said.
In addition, restrictions on satellite information have made it difficult to strike strategic Russian targets, which has reduced the effectiveness of Ukraine’s long-range operations.
Maxar blocks access to satellite imagery
The US company Maxar Technologies, which has stopped providing satellite imagery to Ukraine, has also contributed to the problem of intelligence loss.
Officially, this is explained by an “administrative request,” but according to Militarny, the decision is directly related to the Trump administration’s ban on intelligence sharing with Kyiv.
Maxar played a critical role in monitoring the movements of Russian troops and the effects of attacks on military targets.
Trump strips Ukraine of intelligence: what’s next?
According to The New York Times, the Trump administration has officially confirmed a ban on the transfer of data needed to target Russian positions.
The decision was made just two days after the scandalous meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump at the White House on 28 February. At the same time, the US froze military and humanitarian aid to Kyiv.
The loss of satellite reconnaissance and weapons supplies creates a dangerous situation for Ukraine, in which the military may be left without critical information about the enemy’s actions.
Ukraine is now forced to look for alternative sources of intelligence, but the capabilities of the EU and private companies are far inferior to those of US satellite systems. This threatens not only defence but also the overall strategy of warfare in 2025.
