Ukraine says Starlink still restricted despite Trump's claim limits were lifted
Sources in Ukraine's defence ministry say Starlink and Starshield satellite networks are still suffering problems, even though US President Donald Trump said Elon Musk had reversed the limits. The issues are hampering drone operations at the front.
Sources in Ukraine's defence ministry have told the BBC that the army is still recording problems with Starlink, the satellite internet network owned by Elon Musk, and its military counterpart Starshield. This comes after US President Donald Trump said Musk had reversed the restrictions. The disruption affects Ukraine's armed forces in the war against Russia, especially their use of drones.
The sources said drones are still losing connection when flying at 161km/h (100mph) or faster. They stressed that both networks are monitored constantly and that there is currently no confirmation the restrictions have been lifted.
Background
Last week Kyiv said uplink speeds to the low Earth orbit satellites had been restricted, so drones travelling faster than 100mph lost connection. Musk denied responsibility and said Starshield was controlled by the US military, suggesting the Pentagon could be behind the problems. The White House has repeatedly denied deliberately limiting the network in Ukraine.
Trump first denied telling Musk to restrict Starshield, then said on Thursday that Musk had "put it back". On Friday he admitted he had not spoken to Musk and promised to sort out any problem. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham told Trump in a call that Ukraine needs full access to Starlink.
Why it matters
Ukraine uses both the civilian Starlink and the more secure Starshield. The networks use 10,000 satellites to provide connectivity in remote areas and on the battlefield. Starshield lets drone operators see targets in real time and operate interceptor drones. Russia is not authorised to use Starlink.
One Ukrainian soldier told the BBC there was "simply no alternative" to Starshield and that a full shutdown would be an absolute catastrophe. Another, a woman, said even one or two seconds' faster transfer of data and orders is a clear advantage.
The connectivity problems emerged during a tense row between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure. Zelensky said on Thursday that the system's speed had not been fully restored and that he was awaiting word from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
