Ukraine says a sudden Starlink speed limit is disrupting drone missions

Ukraine's access to Starlink internet service was suddenly disrupted, interfering with military operations, sources in the country's defense ministry and a top presidential advisor said on Wednesday.

Beskrestnov said the restriction throttles the operation of Starshield, the company's dedicated satellite network for military services, at speeds above 100 miles per hour. He said the Ukrainian military was not notified in advance.

Sources in Ukraine's defense ministry confirmed the disruption and told Business Insider it complicates military operations, including logistics and drone strikes. They said the cause is being investigated.

Ukraine's use of Starlink has made it reliant on Musk and SpaceX, however. In 2023, the world's richest man said he refused a request from Ukraine's military to activate Starlink to assist a Ukrainian assault on Crimea, and Reuters reported last year that SpaceX jeopardized a 2022 Ukrainian counteroffensive by cutting Starlink access to frontline troops.

Recently, Musk has proven to be a more reliable ally. In February, SpaceX clamped down on Russian forces' use of Starlink terminals in Ukraine after Ukraine's then-defense minister made a personal appeal to the billionaire CEO, a move that allowed Ukrainian forces to wage a successful counteroffensive.

Musk has not yet addressed reports of Starlink disruptions in Ukraine. On Saturday, he reignited his past criticisms of Zelenskyy with a post on X that the Ukrainian president had "gone too far" with his strikes on Russian refineries.

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The disruption comes after a series of Russian ballistic missile attacks against Kyiv on Monday and Tuesday nights. Ukrainian officials said that in both cases, international partners did not provide an advance warning about their launch, breaking from standard practice.

Asked by reporters before the attack on Tuesday if the US would cut intelligence with Ukraine over its strikes on Russian energy sites, President Donald Trump said Washington continued to share it.

Zelenskyy's advisor suggested that the Starlink disruption could be linked to tensions between the US and Ukraine.