Ukraine says satellite services restored after throttling, strikes Russian refinery

Summary

A Ukrainian official told Axios on Thursday that Starlink and Starshield had returned to full capacity after being throttled, and said Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery overnight. The official said Ukraine resumed refinery strikes because Russia continued attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure despite President Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire. Earlier, Ukrainian officials said they were seeking answers about the restrictions and suspected a political motive; U.S. officials cited a technical malfunction, and a senior U.S. official denied the administration was involved, leaving responsibility unclear.

Timeline

1. Axios

   14 Oct 2026, 20:19 UTCSource ↗

   Axios reports that Ukrainian officials said Starlink restrictions disrupted military operations and that they remained suspicious of the cause, while U.S. officials pointed to a technical malfunction and denied administration involvement.

2. Axios

   15 Oct 2026, 12:42 UTCSource ↗

   Axios reports that a Ukrainian official said Starlink and Starshield had returned to full capacity and Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery overnight, saying Russia's continued attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure prompted the strike.