Ukraine’s frontline forces were still facing limits on SpaceX satellite connectivity on Oct. 21, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, highlighting the network’s role in military and civilian communications during the war.
Zelenskyy said Oct. 19 that restrictions on Starlink and Starshield in different areas of the front were affecting logistics, mid-range strikes and Ukraine’s ability to counter Shahed drones. In a Fox News interview on Oct. 21, he said the service was “still limited.”
SpaceX describes Starlink as a service for individual and business customers. Its Starshield offering adapts related technology for government use, with secure communications and added encryption features. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Oct. 17 that Ukraine did not have access to Starshield.
Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Reaction Corps told Reuters on Oct. 14 that connections dropped in bursts of 10 to 20 seconds at speeds from 110 to 120 km/h, leading some units to cancel missions. The Associated Press reported Oct. 15 that a commander described a one-day outage affecting drones and other systems. AP also said some units reported normal connectivity by Oct. 15.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said in an Oct. 14 post on X that the U.S. military sets speed and usage limits, with the president as final authority. CBS News and The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that Musk ordered the slowdown. President Donald Trump said he had not ordered a restriction, and Reuters said it could not immediately verify the Journal’s account.
Four U.S. senators said in an Oct. 19 letter that some Starshield services rely on Starlink infrastructure operated by SpaceX. They asked about the technical, contractual and operational powers of the company and the U.S. government, and requested records from SpaceX.
A 2025 report by the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) said USAID and SpaceX supplied Ukraine with 5,175 Starlink terminals in March 2022. The report said the service supported civilian internet, official and emergency communications, military coordination and drone operations. It also described an earlier restriction on Ukraine’s use of Starlink to pilot drones in early 2023.
Zelenskyy and Rubio agreed on Oct. 20 to speak again soon about restoring the services. Ukraine’s presidential office announced no date for the follow-up.
