Ukrainian officials and frontline soldiers said Friday that crippling restrictions on Starlink and its military-oriented Starshield network remain in place, directly contradicting statements from President Donald Donald Trump that access had been fully restored.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post that speed limits on the satellite internet systems continue to hinder defense operations against invading Russian troops. “The speed has not been restored,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, formerly Twitter, adding that while the frontline continues to hold, operational conditions have grown significantly more difficult because of Starlink and Starshield policies.
Dispute Over Connectivity
The status of the satellite network has sparked confusion in both Washington and Kyiv. On Thursday, Trump told reporters that SpaceX founder Elon Musk had “put it back” following disruptions. The Wall Street Journal had reported that Trump spoke with Musk by phone regarding the terminals, though Trump told reporters outside the White House on Friday that he had not spoken directly to Musk.
“I’ve heard it was fixed,” Trump said Friday. “But if it’s not, I’ll speak to him.” Trump added that he would get the issue straightened out if difficulties persisted, while denying that the White House had directed anyone to restrict satellite signals.
Ukraine’s defense ministry sources told the BBC that technical monitors have found no verification that the network throttle was removed. Defense tech advisor Serhii Beskrestnov cautioned on Telegram that any brief periods of normal speeds were likely tied to internal algorithms rather than a policy reversal.
According to NBC News, Zelenskyy said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told him the network would return to full operation within 48 to 72 hours. Neither Musk nor SpaceX immediately responded to requests for comment, CNBC reported.
Combat Disruptions on the Front Line
The connectivity limits have triggered immediate consequences along battle zones in eastern and southern Ukraine, where forces have relied heavily on Starshield to guide attack and reconnaissance drones. Defense sources told the BBC that aircraft traveling faster than 100 mph abruptly lost communication uplink.
A Ukrainian drone unit commander operating along the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regional border told NBC News that one of his strike drones suddenly disconnected midflight as it gained speed, dropping before reaching its target. Another drone operator in the Kharkiv region said Starlink Mini units mounted on evacuation and transport vehicles disconnected when drivers sped up to evade Russian surveillance drones, forcing teams to rely on basic radios.
Defense analysts noted that the service cut comes as Ukrainian forces attempt to consolidate territorial gains made during Operation Vivaldi in the Donetsk region, where military officials said they liberated more than 100 square miles and 16 settlements.
Diplomatic and Congressional Pressure
The satellite disruptions have prompted pushback in Washington and Europe. Democratic lawmakers called for an inquiry into the throttling of Starshield, while a bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urging the Pentagon to quickly expand its Starshield agreements to safeguard Ukrainian military communications, CNBC reported.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham also intervened Friday evening, pressing Trump during a phone call on the critical need for Kyiv to maintain uninterrupted access to the Starlink network, according to a statement from Downing Street.
In response to recurring vulnerabilities, Ukrainian leaders have begun seeking sovereign satellite alternatives. Zelenskyy met with Norwegian defense manufacturer Kongsberg this week, and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense signed an agreement with Nokia and Finnish firm ICEYE to develop sovereign satellite communications capabilities. For now, defense experts warn that functional substitutes for SpaceX’s constellation remain scarce.
