Russian ballistic missiles struck apartment buildings, power plants and warehouses in Ukraine this week, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens. Air raid sirens sounded only seconds before or after the explosions.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine’s partners did not provide intelligence data from NATO’s early-warning satellites. He did not name the United States. President Donald Trump has denied that Washington has stopped sharing intelligence.
The satellites detect the thermal flames of Russian ballistic missiles seconds after launch, giving Ukrainians up to 10 minutes to sound sirens and send text alerts urging people to shelters. “That’s what helps prevent the killings,” Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine’s ground radars can only detect the missiles as they approach, at speeds of 6,000 to 12,000km/h (3,730 to 7,260 miles per hour).
