Ukrainian officials said Friday that speed restrictions on SpaceX satellite communications were still disrupting military drone operations, contradicting President Donald Trump’s statement that access had been fully restored. The dispute comes as Ukraine and Russia prepare for another round of U.S.-mediated peace talks and as fighting continues across the front.
The restrictions affect Starshield, the military version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network. Ukrainian forces use the system to control drones, relay battlefield information and maintain communications in areas where conventional networks are damaged or unavailable.
Five Ukrainian officials told Reuters on October 23 that limits introduced earlier in the month remained in place. They said connections could be disrupted when drones or other equipment moved faster than about 160 kilometers per hour, or 100 mph. Some units have reported interruptions at even lower speeds.
The restrictions first drew public attention on October 14. Ukraine’s 7th Air Assault Corps said drones operating on the Huliaipole front were losing their connections for 10 to 20 seconds while traveling at roughly 110 to 120 kilometers per hour. The corps said those interruptions made aircraft harder to control and forced at least one unmanned-systems unit to cancel missions.
Ukraine’s military has said the problem is especially serious for faster drones used for reconnaissance, attack missions and interception. Slowing those aircraft can make them easier to detect or destroy, while some missions may become impossible if a drone cannot maintain a stable connection at the speed required for launch or flight.
Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on defense technology, said Ukraine had received no advance warning that the speed restrictions would be imposed. He said the changes disrupted a number of missions and affected the military Starshield service rather than ordinary civilian Starlink use.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has been in contact with the United States, SpaceX and NATO partners about the restrictions, according to Ukrinform. Officials have also said they are reviewing backup communications systems in case the satellite service remains limited.
Trump said Thursday that SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk had restored Ukraine’s access. He declined to say whether he had personally contacted Musk about the restrictions. On Friday, after Ukrainian officials said the problem remained, Trump told reporters that he would get the issue “straightened out” if access was still being limited.
The White House has denied ordering a cutoff. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this week that decisions about Ukraine’s access to Starlink were controlled by SpaceX and Musk, not the White House. Musk, however, has publicly said that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government and that limits on speed or usage are determined by the U.S. military and ultimately the president.
That disagreement has left Ukrainian officials uncertain about who authorized the restrictions and whether they will be fully removed. Reuters reported that some connections had improved, but Ukrainian officials said they had not seen evidence that normal service had returned across the system.
The communications dispute comes during renewed diplomatic efforts to reduce the fighting. Russia and Ukraine agreed Friday to a ceasefire in the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky beginning October 27. The agreement is intended to allow humanitarian aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also agreed to resume U.S.-mediated peace talks with Ukraine next month, according to the Kremlin. Zelenskyy has called for freezing the current front line as a first step toward broader negotiations, while fighting and long-range strikes have continued.
Ukraine’s dependence on satellite communications is especially important because drones now play a central role on the battlefield. Units use unmanned aircraft to scout enemy positions, strike vehicles and weapons, deliver supplies and intercept Russian drones. Starlink terminals are also used in moving vehicles and command posts to connect troops over long distances.
The restrictions emerged as Ukrainian forces reported gains in Operation Vivaldi, a counteroffensive in the Lyman sector of Donetsk region. Ukraine’s Third Army Corps said the operation had regained 277 square kilometers, about 107 square miles, and 16 settlements across four phases.
Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi, commander of the Third Army Corps, said the fourth phase alone recovered 101 square kilometers and three settlements: Zelena Dolyna, Lypove and Kolodiazi. He said Ukrainian forces prevented Russian troops from moving around the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk area and protected an important highway used for military logistics.
The Third Army Corps also said Russian forces suffered about 3,000 personnel losses during the fourth phase. Ukraine’s earlier statements put total Russian killed and wounded during the first three phases at more than 5,000. Reuters said it could not independently verify the battlefield claims.
The operation relied heavily on coordinated drone strikes against Russian logistics, fuel supplies and drone crews before Ukrainian ground forces advanced, according to the Institute for the Study of War. That makes stable satellite communication particularly important for units trying to repeat similar tactics elsewhere.
The technical restrictions have therefore become more than a communications problem. For Ukrainian forces, they affect how quickly drones can fly, how far some missions can reach and whether units can coordinate safely while moving near the front.
For now, Ukrainian officials say the speed limits remain in effect despite Trump’s statement that service was restored. The next question is whether SpaceX, the U.S. government or both will remove the remaining restrictions before Ukraine begins another major operation or the next round of peace talks starts.