Sudden restrictions on Starlink confuse Kyiv... amid tension with Trump

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Ukraine was surprised by the imposition of sudden restrictions on the Starlink satellite Internet service, which it relies on in its military operations, in conjunction with Russian attacks on energy facilities, about which Kiev said it had not received any prior warning from its allies.

Ukrainian officials reported on Wednesday that the restrictions affected the performance of drones and logistical operations on the battle lines, raising growing concerns in Kiev about the “reliability” of American support in light of the escalating tension between President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky.

According to senior Ukrainian military and officials, the “Starlink” stations used by Ukrainian drone units began to suffer from signal interruptions when the speed exceeded 160 kilometers per hour, which led to the disruption of a number of missions early on Wednesday morning.

A senior Ukrainian official familiar with the situation on the front said, “Logistics services on the front lines and medium-range strikes were greatly affected,” referring to operations targeting the supply lines and logistical networks of the Russian army. He also added that the restrictions were imposed "without any warning, and in the middle of the night."

Ukrainian Defense Ministry advisor Serhiy Beskrestnov also explained that the restrictions also affected operations carried out by long-range drones, as well as Ukraine's ability to confront new Russian aircraft operating with jet engines, given the reliance of interceptor aircraft under development on the Starlink network, according to the Financial Times.

The 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Ukrainian Airborne Forces on the southeastern front also reported that the restrictions also affected the Starshield network, the military version of the satellite system affiliated with SpaceX, which is intended to serve defense institutions, governments, and intelligence services. He explained via Telegram that the restrictions included the military package, which was not previously subject to limits on data transfer speed.

He also added that these changes directly affected the operation of the drones that rely on “Starlink” for control during flight, noting that some pilots observed interruptions in communication that ranged between 10 and 20 seconds, even at speeds ranging between 110 and 120 kilometers per hour.

The Corps confirmed that the slowdown in communication caused difficulties during the take-off of the drones and increased the risk of them being exposed to Russian air defenses.

He also added that "slower targets become more vulnerable to hostile strikes," pointing out that a number of missions have been canceled as a result of restrictions imposed on the service.

These developments coincided with mounting Ukrainian concerns about intelligence sharing with the United States.

A senior Ukrainian official told Agence France-Presse that Washington threatened to stop exchanging intelligence information with Kiev if Ukraine did not stop its drone attacks on Russian oil facilities.

The absence of any prior warning about the recent Russian missile attacks, along with the restrictions imposed on Starlink, also raised questions in Kiev about the extent of the continuity of American support.

However, Trump denied that the United States had stopped sharing intelligence information with Ukraine, saying: “No, we have not. We help them and share intelligence with them. We want this war to end.”

In turn, an American official confirmed to Agence France-Presse that “there is no change” in the policy of exchanging intelligence information with Ukraine, explaining that the United States “has not made any amendment to the policy of exchanging intelligence information with its allies and partners, including Ukraine.”

These developments come at a time when Ukraine is facing a continuing Russian escalation against its energy infrastructure, along with increasing pressure from Trump to end the war by making concessions to Moscow.

Since last week, Trump has intensified his pressure on Kiev to stop its drone attacks on Russian oil refineries, and threatened to cut off the exchange of vital intelligence information.

He also expressed his dissatisfaction with the rise in global diesel prices, considering that the Ukrainian attacks on the Russian energy sector contributed to this.

The sudden restrictions sparked speculation within Ukrainian circles about their motives, as some officials suggested that SpaceX, which operates the Starlink network, had taken the step at the request of the Trump administration.

These doubts also came after American billionaire Elon Musk, owner of SpaceX and Starlink, published comments criticizing the Ukrainian president.

He wrote on the “X” platform: “Zelensky has crossed the limits,” commenting on a video clip published by the White House showing the US President urging Kiev to stop targeting Russian refineries. Trump said in the clip: “You can do whatever you want towards Russia, but do not target refineries, because that represents a global problem,” adding: “It must stop immediately.”

On the other hand, an advisor to the Ukrainian presidency revealed that military officials are trying to address the problem through the military coordination center in the German city of Wiesbaden, which represents the main link between Kiev and its Western partners.

There was no immediate comment from the White House, SpaceX, or Musk regarding the Ukrainian accusations.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Szykorski also sent a message to Musk via the “X” platform in which he said: “Are you again using your products in politics? As your European customers, we are watching what you do.”

In conjunction with the Starlink crisis, Zelensky announced that Ukraine had not received any prior warning from its partners before the recent Russian attack that targeted energy facilities in Kiev.

He explained that Russian ballistic missiles hit a number of vital sites, including one of the largest cogeneration and heating plants in the capital.

He also added that Ukrainian monitoring systems did not recognize the missiles until they were "already on their way to Kiev."

The Starlink service represents one of the most important elements of the communications infrastructure in Ukraine since the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, as it is widely used in military communications, operating drones, and maintaining communications continuity in areas affected by the war.

This crisis comes at a time when Musk’s relationship with Trump witnessed a renewed rapprochement after a period of coolness, while disagreements escalated between the American and Ukrainian presidents over the course of the war and the Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities, coinciding with the emergence of questions in Kiev regarding the backgrounds of the restrictions imposed on “Starlink.”