Ukraine’s military has suddenly had its access to Starlink satellite internet terminals restricted, as the Trump administration increases pressure on Ukraine to stop long-range strikes on Russia’s oil industry immediately. The terminals, distributed and managed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, are essential to Ukraine’s military operations. The sudden restrictions on terminals traveling at high speeds on Tuesday evening caused several combat missions to fail, according to a military technology adviser to Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The sudden outage came as Russia launched ballistic missiles at Ukraine without any advance warning from the US for a second night. For years, the US had provided Ukraine with intelligence when strikes were about to happen. Donald Trump has denied that his administration cut intelligence sharing with Ukraine. Zelenskyy also indicated in an interview with NPR aired on Wednesday that the US was continuing to share intelligence with Ukraine, but confirmed that military advisers had received threats from the US that intelligence sharing could be limited. Ukraine did not receive any warning before Russia launched its first barrage of ballistic missiles on Tuesday evening, according to Col Yurii Ihnat, a spokesperson for the air force. But it did receive warnings from “foreign partners” about three later barrages, leaving further confusion about whether the US is intentionally withholding intelligence from Ukraine. SpaceX did not confirm any changes to Starlink’s functionality, and it was not immediately clear why the restrictions had been put in place. Terminals traveling at more than 100mph and using a version of Starlink for the military and other national security agencies suddenly lost connectivity, said Serhiy Beskrestnov, in what appeared to be a targeted outage meant to disrupt military operations. “Our armed forces did not receive a warning about these restrictions and this led to the failure of a number of missions,” said Beskrestnov, who is also a popular military blogger. “It’s clear that this action cannot be a coincidence and is connected to the current political situation.” View image in fullscreen A firefighter works at the site of a food store hit by a Russian attack on Lutsk on 14 October. Photograph: State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Reuters Limiting Starlink’s access speeds would have a significant effect on Ukraine’s air defenses because it is being used, according to Beskrestnov, in “the most current effective solution”: interceptors that target the jet-powered Shahed drones now deployed in large numbers to bomb Ukraine. “With their actions our partners are depriving us of one of the few chances we have to defend ourselves,” he added in a follow-up post. Shahed interception rates had already dropped from more than 90% to about 60% when Russia upgraded its engines to jet power in the early summer. But there have been no reports that access for static Starlink terminals has been cut, meaning critical battlefield communications for soldiers should remain unaffected. The detection of incoming Russian missiles and drones relies on other technologies. Musk, an ally of Trump, had previously cut off Starlink service to Ukrainian soldiers during an offensive that took a small amount of Russian territory. Musk has supported Trump’s calls for Zelenskyy to be replaced as Ukraine’s leader – an extraordinary act of political interference against a wartime ally – as a personal feud between the two presidents has burst into the open. The reports that Starlink was being throttled on the frontlines were interpreted by some as further pressure on Ukraine to end the fighting and make a deal with Russia at any cost. Serhii Sternenko, a political activist with close ties to the military, first reported the outage and later said that the speeds at which the loss of connectivity occurred had fallen even lower. “It is likely that the company“SpaceX resorted to such measures at the request of the Trump administration,” he said. “Ordinary satellite communication terminals are currently operational.”
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Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy decries ‘absolutely unjust’ lack of warning from allies after Kyiv plant strike
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Trump has demanded that Ukraine stop striking Russian oil refineries, which he blames for the high cost of diesel, although most analysts say the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has had a far larger impact on global energy prices.
Zelenskyy suggested, though did not say directly, that the US was intentionally withholding intelligence from Ukraine about impending Russian missile strikes.
Russia carried out a massive strike against Ukrainian energy infrastructure late on Tuesday evening, Zelenskyy said, launching 39 ballistic missiles and 120 attack drones against Kyiv and Kharkiv. The strikes hit five large power plants, key substations, and other infrastructure that sustains major cities including Kyiv.
“The strike was entirely deliberate and demonstrative in its scale – Russia has never before shown such ostentatious disrespect toward the United States,” Zelenskyy said. “Russia does not consider the American president’s statements strong.”
At least 600,000 people were now without power, he said, adding that outages could become even more widespread.
Trump last week announced an “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine that has not been confirmed by either side. Zelenskyy said he had not heard of the deal until Trump announced it on his Truth Social site, and the Kremlin on Wednesday claimed it was abiding by the ceasefire because Trump had not specified which energy infrastructure it included.
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, told reporters: “The energy truce proposed by Trump was not specified in detail, so it cannot be claimed that Russia is failing to observe it.”
Ukraine is observing a short-term moratorium on striking Russian refineries while Kyiv seeks to show that it is ready for talks with Russia. Zelenskyy arrived in London on Wednesday to meet Andy Burnham, Britain’s prime minister. He will also be received by King Charles.
Zelenskyy is seeking new negotiations with the US. He has sent proposals to Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, saying Ukraine was ready to work towards a ceasefire and “Russia must also be part of this agreement.”
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Ukraines Military Access to Starlink
Basics
What is Starlink
A satellite internet service built by SpaceX It uses thousands of loworbit satellites to provide internet almost anywhere on Earth including places with no cell or cable coverage
Why does Ukraines military use Starlink
Its fast portable and hard to knock out Regular phone networks and internet infrastructure get destroyed in war but Starlink works as long as you have a small dish and a clear view of the sky
What happened with the restrictions
Reports emerged that Starlink access was suddenly limited for Ukrainian forcesparticularly for offensive operations longrange drone strikes and use outside Ukraines borders Some terminals reportedly stopped working or were geofenced
Who controls Starlink access
SpaceX The company owns the satellites the terminals and the network It can turn service on or off restrict where terminals work and limit what theyre used for
Did SpaceX cut off Ukraine entirely
No Ukraines military still uses Starlink widely for communication and coordination The restrictions targeted specific uses not all access
Why It Matters
Why is this a big deal for Ukraine
Starlink is a backbone of Ukrainian military communications Limiting it can slow down operations disrupt drone control and force units to find alternatives midfight
What are the benefits of Starlink for Ukraine
Works even when cell towers and cables are destroyed
Fast enough for live video and encrypted messaging
Portablesoldiers can set it up in minutes
Hard for Russia to jam compared to radio
What are the downsides of relying on Starlink
A private company can change the rules at any time
Service can be geofenced or shut off in certain areas
Terminals are a target for Russian forces
Not designed for weapons systems so military use is legally murky
Has Russia tried to block Starlink
Yes Russia has jammed signals hunted terminals and tried to disrupt service Starlink has generally resisted jamming better than traditional satellite links
Common Problems Practical Issues
What does geofencing mean here
Its a software limit that stops a Starlink terminal from working outside a set area If a Ukrainian drone
