Ukraine urges US sanctions on Russia’s Starlink knockoff amid drone threat

"Fayard’s service of the LNG fleet is a blemish on Danish support for Ukraine. We will continue to pressure Fayard to stop," said Jens Alstrup, chairman of the NGO Freedom for Ukraine.

Kyiv will provide Washington and Congress with details of companies and individuals supporting the Rassvet network, Ukraine’s acting ambassador to the U.S., Denys Sienik, said, Reuters reported on Sept. 30.

Kyiv has faced repeated Russian attacks in recent days. A large-scale Russian missile and drone attack beginning on Sept. 30 killed four people and injured at least eight, while also damaging residential and energy infrastructure in the capital.

The number includes 1,520 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Ukrainian drones previously struck the Samara station in April, causing a large fire and damaging five crude oil tanks, each with a capacity of 20,000 cubic meters, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine told the Kyiv Independent at the time.

Putin repeatedly said in interviews in early March 2022 that conscripts were not being asked to participate in the invasion and would not be sent to fight. Only days later, Russia’s Defense Ministry to acknowledged that some conscripts had been deployed to Ukraine and captured.

"We fought until the last moment, both publicly and privately, to prevent this from happening," Sybiha said. "You removed two oligarchs, and we will add twenty."

Putin's comments echoed warnings Russia issued to NATO on Sept. 30, saying that it would be ready to use nuclear weapons if alliance members attempt to isolate the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

Led by a "sanctioned and convicted criminal fraudster," and a state-owned Russian bank tied to the military, the A7 shadow network has helped Russian entities evade sanctions since 2024.

The latest strike follows other attacks on the Southern Bridge on Oct. 1, where two Russian drones hit near the bridge's supports. This was the first time Russian drones have targeted one of the capital's bridges.

The Kyiv Independent’s new Companion Collection 🐾 brings together matching items for people and their pets while supporting animals rescued from Ukraine’s front-line communities.