In brief
Ukraine’s defence ministry says the country is still experiencing speed caps on its Starlink satellite network, which are hurting the reliability of battlefield drones. The issue surfaced as drones traveling over 100mph lose connection, a problem that could threaten Ukraine’s defensive coordination. President Donald Trump stated that Elon Musk had restored full service, yet Ukrainian officials have not seen conclusive evidence of a lift. In a broader context, tensions between Washington and Kyiv over military‑grade internet access now add to long‑standing disputes over sanctions and intelligence sharing.
Ukraine’s defence ministry has confirmed that the country’s Starlink satellite internet, and its military‑grade counterpart Starshield, continue to be throttled, impacting drone operations across the eastern front.
Sources inside Kyiv report that drones operating at speeds above 100 mph (161 km/h) repeatedly lose signal. The sudden loss of connectivity forces operators to abort missions or rely on older, slower command chains, which critics warn could cost lives.
In late October President Donald Trump stated that Elon Musk had “put the service back” and that the limits had been removed. Trump’s remarks came after Musk himself said the slowdown was not intentional, and allegations surfaced that U.S. policy might have influenced the throttling.
Despite the president’s certainty, Ukrainian officials have not seen definitive proof that the caps were lifted. The ministry said it is still monitoring both networks closely and that any changes will be verified before the armed forces can rely on the service again.
The dispute over Starlink ties into a larger diplomatic row between Washington and Kyiv, which has seen the U.S. waive sanctions on Russia while Ukraine pushes for continued intelligence sharing and reliable communications.
For context, Starlink and Starshield use a constellation of about 10,000 satellites to provide high‑speed internet in remote areas and on battlefields. While Starshield is secured for military use, Starlink remains a civilian platform that Ukraine also depends on for its day‑to‑day operations.
Ukrainian soldiers have spoken out about the urgency of these services: one said a 50‑mph convoy had seen links drop when speeding, while another warned that a full shutdown would spell catastrophe.
