How Starlink disruptions affected Ukraine’s battlefield operations

A key component of Ukraine’s communications network was partially disabled on Wednesday. The Starshield satellite network, funded by the Pentagon and operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, was not operating at full capacity, hampering communications within the Ukrainian military. Liz Landers reports and Amna Nawaz discusses the developments with retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery.

Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.

A key component of Ukraine's communications network was partially disabled today, perhaps by its ally the United States. The Starshield satellite network, funded by the Pentagon and operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, was not operating at full capacity today, hampering communications within the Ukrainian military.

Overnight in Kyiv, homes engulfed in flames, as rescue workers rushed to put out the blaze and save the victims of Russia's latest brutal onslaught, as it continues to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure, plunging the nation's capital into darkness.

Since Trump's announcement Sunday, Russia has struck at least 26 energy facilities across Ukraine. And the war-weary nation feels it is being abandoned by its ally, President Zelenskyy told Piers Morgan today.

Yes, but not because of us. We -- I mean this. We can't be weak. Otherwise, we can't survive. It's painful when President Trump chooses one side, not our side. But we are OK that he's in the middle.

As the two allies' relationships shows signs of fraying, Ukraine has accused the United States of not providing advanced warning of the Russian strikes, although the Ukrainian president told NPR it was a -- quote -- "technical glitch," and of temporarily limiting their usage of the Starshield satellite system, a military version of the Starlink network, which is integral to Ukraine's targeting of Russian military installations within Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory.

It's a big mistake, a lot of losses. This decision will bring a lot of human losses.

Of course. People will die, of course, if attacks will continue and if Starlink will not work. Of course, I mean, this -- it's not helpful. So my message is, absolutely, I hope that it's mistake, maybe huge technical problem. I don't know. But we are asking to do it, to switch on.

Late today, former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov posted on X that Starshield link connectivity is being -- quote -- "restored," to which SpaceX CEO Elon Musk responded on X that -- quote -- "Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the U.S. military and ultimately POTUS," as Ukraine grapples with a war and an ally it fears it can no longer depend on.

For more on all of this, we turn now to retired rear admiral mark Montgomery, who served on the National Security Council staff, later on the Republican staff of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He's now a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Let's just start with some context here. How crucial is this Starshield satellite system to Ukraine's war effort? What does it allow them to do offensively and defensively?