Ukraine Sounds Alarm As Starlink Restrictions Persist Despite Trump’s Claim
Ukraine has raised fresh concerns over persistent disruptions to its Starlink satellite network, contradicting US President Donald Trump’s claim that Elon Musk had restored connectivity after restrictions hampered Kyiv’s military drone operations.
Sources within Ukraine’s Defence Ministry told the BBC that military units were still recording connection failures, with drones travelling at speeds above 161 kilometres per hour losing their satellite links and disrupting battlefield operations.
The continuing problems have cast doubt on whether restrictions affecting Ukraine’s use of the satellite network have actually been lifted, despite Trump’s assertion on Thursday that Musk had restored the service.
The Ukrainian defence sources said the military was closely monitoring the performance of both Starlink and Starshield, the military-grade satellite communications system used in some Ukrainian operations. However, they said there was still no confirmation that the restrictions had been removed.
The disruption is particularly significant for Ukraine’s drone warfare, where reliable satellite connectivity is crucial for controlling attack drones, coordinating missions and supporting defensive operations against Russian forces.
Last week, Kyiv reported that uplink speeds to low Earth orbit satellites had been restricted, leaving drones travelling faster than 100 miles per hour vulnerable to connection loss.
Musk denied responsibility for the slowdown, while pointing to the US military’s control over Starshield and suggesting that the Pentagon could be involved in the technical restrictions.
The White House has repeatedly denied deliberately restricting the network in Ukraine.
Trump also declined to confirm whether he had personally contacted Musk to demand the restoration of service. Instead, he maintained that the restrictions had been reversed.
The conflicting accounts have raised fresh uncertainty over Ukraine’s access to critical satellite communications infrastructure, highlighting the strategic importance of privately operated technology in modern warfare.
For Kyiv, the immediate concern remains whether its military can rely on the network without further disruptions as drone operations continue on the battlefield.
