Ukraine has accused SpaceX of restricting access to Starlink satellite internet terminals, disrupting vital military operations. An adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the sudden restrictions, imposed without prior warning, led to the failure of several combat missions. These terminals are critical for battlefield operations, including the guidance of long-range drone strikes in occupied southern and eastern Ukraine.
The connectivity issues occurred as Russia launched intense ballistic missile attacks without the usual advance warning from allies. One major attack cut power to 600,000 people in Kyiv. The restrictions have limited Ukraine's ability to block Russian drones and have significantly complicated logistics and drone operations, exposing Kyiv's heavy reliance on the technology for both offensive and defensive maneuvers.
The disruption comes amid increased pressure from the Trump administration for Ukraine to immediately halt long-range strikes on Russia's oil industry. Additionally, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk previously described Ukrainian drone targeting of Russian data services as a step too far. These developments have raised concerns that access to critical American satellite communications could be used as leverage over Kyiv.
While Ukrainian officials report that Starlink access has since improved, they state that speed limits remain in place. These ongoing limitations continue to disrupt battlefield missions as Russian attacks persist unabated.