Ukraine says SpaceX limits on Starlink disrupted drone missions

SpaceX restricted the military version of Starlink in Ukraine from operating above 160 km/h, disrupting several drone missions, Ukrainian officials said.

RuskiGazeta Editorial DeskOctober 14, 2026, 01:46 PMUpdated: October 15, 2026, 10:01 PM

Ukraine says SpaceX limits on Starlink disrupted drone missions

SpaceX has limited some Starlink services in Ukraine, disrupting combat drone missions, Ukrainian officials told Reuters. Presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov said the company stopped the military-grade version from working above 160 km/h (100 mph). “Our defense forces did not receive a warning about this limitation, and this led to the disruption of several missions,” he wrote on Telegram.

A Starlink terminal in Kupiansk (2022, file photo)

The 7th Rapid Reaction Corps said connections dropped for 10 to 20 seconds at 110 to 120 km/h, forcing some missions to be canceled. Starlink has been central to Ukraine’s battlefield communications since 2022. The reason for the restriction was not clear, and SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Poland, which pays Ukraine’s Starlink subscription fees on Kyiv’s behalf, also reacted to the restriction. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski asked Elon Musk whether he was playing politics with his products and said European customers were watching. Starlink does not operate inside Russia; Ukrainian drones targeting oil facilities in Russia rely on other means of communication.

A source at Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Starshield, the military version of Starlink, was fully restored on Thursday, Oct. 15, and reports from units on the move also showed the service working. The ministry said the cause of the disruption remained unclear and that its request for an explanation was still pending.