Ukraine says SpaceX’s Starlink curbs without warning hamper drone strikes on Russia: What we know

Kyiv accused SpaceX of limiting Starlink services, impeding its drone operations, following Russian missile strikes that knocked out power stations. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy termed it ostentatious disrespect towards former President Donald Trump. Relations between Ukraine and Washington worsened since Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel and publicly turned against Zelenskiy.

Trump pressured Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian refineries and urged them to replace their wartime leader. The US president announced a ceasefire on energy targets, though both sides remained unconfirmed. Ukrainian military officials claimed SpaceX had abruptly interrupted functioning of high-speed military-grade Starlink terminals, rendering them ineffective as onboard guides for drones.

The disruption of several drone missions left Ukrainian officials without a warning about this limitation, exacerbating the situation. Poland, paying for Ukrainian Starlink subscriptions, responded sharply to SpaceX's potential political interference, asking Musk on X if he was playing politics with his products. Musk, a close ally of Trump, did not immediately respond, and SpaceX declined to comment.

Concerns grew among Ukrainians that Washington could withhold battlefield support to pressure their ally into concessions. Russian missiles struck several power plants in Kyiv and Kharkiv, with Zelenskiy reporting over 30 damaged. Ukrainian officials stated they had received no warnings from Western partners for the second consecutive day, casting the attacks as a deliberate snub to Trump’s ceasefire declaration.