Ukraine accused SpaceX on Wednesday of restricting its military-grade Starlink satellite services without warning, saying the change interrupted the connection of fast-moving terminals used to guide drones and disrupted several missions, according to Reuters and CNN. Presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov said Ukraine's defence forces received no warning of the limitation. SpaceX did not immediately respond to requests for comment from either Reuters or CNN, and no reason for the change has been given publicly by the company.
What did Ukrainian officials say changed?
Ukrainian officials said the restriction affects terminals moving at high speed, which are used as onboard guides for drones flying over Ukrainian territory. Beskrestnov wrote on Telegram that the lack of warning "led to the disruption of several missions," Reuters reported. Ukraine's 7th Rapid Reaction Corps told Reuters that during flights the connection could drop for 10 to 20 seconds at speeds of just 110–120 km/h, making drones harder to control. CNN, citing a source familiar with the matter, reported that Ukraine learned of the speed limitation from SpaceX customer support after complaining about operational problems, and that the restriction applies to vehicles and military hardware travelling at 100 miles per hour or faster. A Ukrainian defence ministry source told Reuters the limitations significantly complicate logistics and some drone operations.
CNN reported that the affected service is the military-grade version of Starlink, known as Starshield, and that Ukrainian officials have asked SpaceX to explain the change and restore the previous service levels. According to the same CNN source, the arrangements were contracted through the US government until mid-May 2027, and Kyiv had not received a response from SpaceX. Ukraine's defence ministry told CNN it is in contact with the United States, SpaceX and NATO allies, and is testing backup communication channels. Beskrestnov also warned, in remarks reported by CNN, that Starlink supports the interceptor drones Ukraine uses against Russia's jet-powered attack drones.
Why does it matter?
Starlink has been central to Ukraine's battlefield communications since 2022, and the reported restriction lands in the middle of a sharp deterioration in Kyiv's relations with Washington. Reuters reported that Starlink's resistance to electronic jamming has made it a key tool for long-range attack drones and for drones dropping supplies to frontline troops; the system does not operate inside Russia, and Ukrainian drones striking Russian territory use other means of communication. Poland, which pays for Ukrainian Starlink subscriptions on Kyiv's behalf, reacted publicly: Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski addressed Elon Musk on X, asking whether he was "playing politics" with his products and noting that European customers were watching. Musk did not immediately respond, Reuters reported.
The dispute comes days after President Donald Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel, pressed Kyiv to halt its strikes on Russian oil refineries, and announced an "energy ceasefire" that neither Kyiv nor Moscow confirmed. Ukrainian officials said they received no early warning from Western partners for a second day before Wednesday's Russian missile attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv, which left some 600,000 people without power; Trump said on Tuesday that Washington was still sharing intelligence. Sources have told Reuters and other outlets that the US has threatened to cut off intelligence for early warning of missile strikes to press Kyiv to suspend its refinery attacks. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Moscow had no further information about the Starlink disruptions and was "carefully noting" reports of shifts in Washington's support for Kyiv, CNN reported.
Whether the restriction is a technical change, a contractual measure or a political signal is not established by the reporting opened for this article: Ukrainian officials have characterised it as deliberate and linked to the political situation, while SpaceX has not commented. This article will be updated if SpaceX or the US government responds.
