Ukraine lifts all restrictions on Starlink service

Ukraine's defence minister has confirmed that the country's connection to the Starlink satellite internet network is now stable, following a period of restricted connectivity. This comes after the military had suffered days of disrupted service due to potential limits imposed by US President Donald Trump on the satellite provider Elon Musk.

The Ukrainian military relies heavily on Starlink and its military-grade counterpart Starshield for operations, including drone piloting and logistics. Kyiv had previously accused Trump of suggesting Musk impose restrictions, a claim Trump denied before stating Musk had reversed the policy. Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara now states that speeds exceeding 400km/h are achievable on the network, indicating a full recovery of capabilities.

The network, consisting of 10,000 low Earth orbit satellites, is crucial for Ukraine's military operations, particularly in remote battlefield areas. Ukraine utilizes both Starlink and Starshield, with Musk suggesting the Pentagon may be responsible for the recent issues. Russia, which is not authorized to use Starlink, has been targeted by Ukrainian long-range missiles and drones, which have targeted key infrastructure in Russia.

Despite the strikes impacting global fuel prices, the primary driver has been the ongoing Iran war. Zelensky had previously criticized the US for threatening to withdraw intelligence sharing if Ukraine continued its strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, a claim Trump also denied. Russian officials claim their air defenses have shot down 616 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones, affecting multiple regions, including Russian-annexed Crimea, and have imposed restrictions on electricity and water due to power outages caused by the drone strikes.

Ukrainian authorities have retaliated by attacking military targets within Russia, including a missile component factory, a chemical plant, and a military airfield. Russia has responded with 88 air strikes using 309 glide bombs and 10,270 kamikaze drones on Friday.