Zelensky urges Musk and US to lift Starlink restrictions, putting them on the right side of history

Starshield speed remains restricted

Zelensky said Ukraine was struggling to stop Russian jet-powered drones aimed at electricity substations. He said limits on Starshield terminal speeds remained in place along the front line and in temporarily occupied territories.

The service is controlled by the US government and provided to Ukraine. Musk said the government was responsible for the restrictions, while Trump denied responsibility and said he had told Musk to restore the connection.

Air defences face added strain

Ukraine uses regular Starlink for battlefield communications, but Starshield supports the interception of missiles and drones in Ukrainian airspace. The connection problems have persisted for weeks. Ukraine is also short of US-made Patriot interceptors used against Russian missiles. Russia has taken advantage of the shortage to step up strikes on Ukrainian targets, including railway infrastructure in the Dnipro, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Attacks hit infrastructure

Ukraine said it had struck a petrochemical plant and an oil refinery in Nizhnekamsk, central Russia. It said the facilities supplied raw materials and fuel for Russia’s war effort.

Diplomatic tensions continue

The Starshield dispute coincided with a tense standoff between Zelensky and Trump over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. Zelensky has also said the US floated Ukraine giving up Donbas in exchange for Nato membership.