Ukraine faces loss of key US-affiliated satellite support amid tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy

The war in Ukraine has continued to rage in the days after President Donald Trump declared an energy ceasefire there, with Russia targeting civilian and energy infrastructure as the U.S. applies pressure on Kyiv to halt attacks on oil refineries in Russia, which Trump says are to blame for the high price of diesel fuel.

The U.S. government-owned satellite infrastructure used by Ukraine's military for drone navigation and air defense on Wednesday was not operating at its normal functionality, raising concerns that American support for Kyiv was ebbing.

Six people were killed in strikes in Ukraine on Wednesday, Zelenskyy said.

A defense ministry official in Kyiv said overnight Wednesday that restrictions placed on Starshield, a satellite communications network owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX but contracted for use under terms set by the Pentagon, "disrupted" a number of "critical missions" in Ukraine.

A Ukrainian source said the restriction gave the Russians "real leverage on [the] frontline" by inhibiting the military's ability to defend against jet-powered Shahed drones. As the hours passed Wednesday, the Starshield limits began to loosen, but remained a concern for Ukraine.

Elon Musk, the chief executive of SpaceX, said on Wednesday that "Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government" and "any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately [President Trump.]"

"This decision will significantly degrade Ukraine's mid-range strike capability -- a key driver of Ukraine's recent battlefield momentum in 2026," he said in a post on X.

Intelligence sharing from military to military is America's primary contribution to Ukraine's war effort, analysts said, providing key early warnings for Russian strikes and targeting information.

A Ukrainian source in Kyiv on Wednesday said warnings did come overnight Wednesday -- but they were late.

The battlefield impacts come amid tensions between the U.S. and Ukrainian presidents -- and between negotiators working on a diplomatic solution to the conflict.

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Trump said on Saturday Ukraine should not "hit the refineries, because that's [caused] a world problem."