Why Starlink remains important to Ukraine after service limits disrupted military operations

A key wartime communications network

Starlink is a broadband network of more than 11,000 satellites, delivering internet access to terminals about the size of a folded newspaper. The service has roughly 13 million subscribers, including households, hikers, shipping companies and major airlines.

Different systems, shared technology

Musk has said Starlink and Starshield are separate systems. However, they share underlying satellite technology in many cases, and Starshield relies on Starlink’s satellite constellation as its backbone.

Service limits disrupt operations

Ukrainian officials said Starshield services had been slowed across the country, affecting frontline operations and medium-range strikes on Russian military sites. Presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov said the defence forces had not been warned and that several missions were disrupted.

Beskrestnov said SpaceX had set a speed limit of 160 kph (100 mph). A Ukrainian defence ministry source told Reuters that military units reported guidance systems losing connections at speeds below half that limit.

Functionality restored amid tensions

A Ukrainian defence ministry source told Reuters on Thursday that Starshield’s satellite functionality while in motion had been restored. Zelensky’s office also confirmed Starlink functionality was back, and said speed limits had been lifted.

The disruption came amid a growing dispute between Kyiv and Washington. Zelensky accused the US of withdrawing vital intelligence, while tensions also followed Trump’s reported threat to cut intelligence unless Ukraine stopped attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.

Europe’s reliance highlighted

The dispute drew a sharp response from Poland, which pays for Ukrainian Starlink subscriptions on Kyiv’s behalf. It also underscored Ukraine and Europe’s dependence on US systems for satellite communications and space-based infrared sensing used in early-warning systems. European defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius said the continent remained “quite dependent on American space capabilities” at a conference on Wednesday.