Serhii Beskrestnov
Serhii Beskrestnov, known by the call sign "Flash," is a Ukrainian expert in telecommunications and energy infrastructure. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, he has become a prominent public commentator on the consequences of strikes on Ukraine's energy grid and on communications conditions during wartime. His social media blog analysing damage to the energy network has gained a wide following among Ukrainian officials and journalists. He has worked in the development of telecommunications technologies, including mobile networks and satellite systems.
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Pentagon denies ordering Starlink speed restrictions for Ukraine amid accountability dispute
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington did not order restrictions on Ukraine’s Starshield military satellite service, instead pointing to its terms of service and SpaceX’s rights under them. The restriction disrupted Ukrainian military missions and drone operations, while U.S. officials, Elon Musk and media reports gave conflicting accounts of who authorized it.
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Zelensky and Rubio hold 45-minute call on missile interceptors, early warning and Starlink/Starshield
On October 20, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a roughly 45-minute phone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio covering three main topics: ballistic missile interceptors for Ukraine, early warning about Russian ballistic attacks, and the situation around Starlink and Starshield satellite services. Zelensky described the talks as substantive and constructive, while Rubio, speaking to journalists during a visit to India, said US policy toward Ukraine and intelligence sharing remain unchanged and attributed recent warning failures to a technical problem under investigation.
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Fire at Lutsk oil depot after Russian drone strike extinguished before dawn
A fire broke out at an oil depot in Lutsk in the night of October 14 after a Russian jet-type drone struck the site. Ukrainian rescuers put out the blaze at 4:38 a.m., about two and a half hours after ignition. The information was reported by Andrii Razumovsky, secretary of the Lutsk city council, who urged residents to take shelter during air raid alerts.