Musk's plan: how Starlink curbs weakened Ukraine's army against Russia
SpaceX imposed new restrictions on its Starlink satellite internet service, prompting the Ukrainian army to cancel drone missions. Ukrainian media reported that security services detected disruptions in Starlink stations overnight, and the new limits cut the maximum speed at which drones retain a reliable internet connection to between 60 and 70 kilometres per hour, affecting mid-range drones including the FP-2, Darts, Hornet and RAM 2, as well as interceptor drones used against Shahed aircraft. President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with US radio NPR that the Trump administration hinted it would halt intelligence sharing with Kyiv if it continued striking Russian oil refineries; it remains unclear whether the SpaceX restrictions are linked to that pressure or whether they are temporary.
Why it matters: The episode shows how commercial satellite communications have become a chokepoint in the war, tying technology dependence directly to Ukrainian operational capacity.