Ukraine Accuses SpaceX of Limiting Starlink Service, Disrupting Military Drone Missions
Ukrainian military officials said SpaceX restricted Starlink service for fast-moving military terminals without warning, disrupting drone operations, as Russia's renewed strikes on power plants left about 600,000 people without electricity.
Ukraine accused Elon Musk’s SpaceX on Wednesday of limiting Starlink satellite service for military-grade terminals, disrupting Ukrainian drone operations as Russia launched renewed strikes on the country’s power grid.
Ukrainian military officials said SpaceX had, without warning, interrupted the service of Starlink terminals moving at high speed, preventing Kyiv from using them as onboard guides for drones. “Our defence forces did not receive a warning about this limitation, and this led to the disruption of several missions,” presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov wrote on Telegram.
Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Reaction Corps told Reuters the connection could drop for 10 to 20 seconds at speeds of just 110 to 120 km/h. “The drones kept moving, but these interruptions made them harder to control,” the corps said. A source in Ukraine’s defence ministry said the limits significantly complicate logistics and some drone operations. Since 2022, Starlink has been the lifeblood of Ukrainian battlefield communications.
Strain with Washington grows
The accusation landed amid a sharp downturn in Kyiv’s relationship with Washington. President Donald Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel last week, a move senators say violates the 2022 import ban, and publicly told Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian refineries, adding that Ukrainians should replace their wartime leader.
Trump also announced that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to halt attacks on energy targets, though neither side confirmed the claim. The past two days have seen intensive Russian bombing of power stations: Russia’s defence ministry said it struck four power plants in and around Kyiv and two in Kharkiv, and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said more than 30 power stations were damaged, leaving about 600,000 people without power.
Officials said two people were killed and 21 wounded when Russian missiles hit a residential building in Kyiv. Zelenskiy called the strikes “ostentatious disrespect” to Trump, writing on X: “Russia does not consider the American President’s statements strong.” He asked Trump to impose the sanctions Congress passed last month and to send Patriot interceptors.
Poland, which pays for Ukraine’s Starlink subscriptions, reacted sharply. Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski asked Musk on X whether he was “playing politics” with his products. Neither Musk nor SpaceX had responded by Wednesday morning.
Reporting based on coverage by Reuters.
