Starlink restrictions remain in Ukraine despite Trump's claim that Musk lifted speed limits

Summary

A slowdown in SpaceX's Starlink satellite network last week disrupted Ukraine's drone operations against the Russian army. Zelenskyy said Ukraine's Starlink speed has not been fully restored, and Trump sidestepped a question about calling Elon Musk. Trump said Musk had lifted the speed limits, but Politico reports Starlink remains restricted for Ukraine, with some Ukrainian drone pilots reporting a marked improvement while still experiencing constant connection interruptions. Euronews reports that defence officials say the restrictions have not been lifted and that Ukrainian forces continue to face disruptions to critical battlefield communications, raising questions about Kyiv's dependence on an American-controlled satellite network. CNBC reports that since last week Ukraine has reported restrictions on Starshield, a version of SpaceX's Starlink, hampering its military operations against Russia.

Timeline

1. Hindustan Times

   23 Oct 2026, 04:11 UTCSource ↗

   Hindustan Times reports that Zelenskyy said Ukraine's Starlink speed has not been fully restored after a slowdown last week disrupted drone operations against the Russian army, and that Trump sidestepped a question about calling Elon Musk.

2. Politico

   23 Oct 2026, 08:09 UTCSource ↗

   Politico reports that Starlink is still restricted for Ukraine despite Trump saying Musk lifted the speed limits, and that some Ukrainian drone pilots have reported a marked improvement but still face constant connection interruptions.

3. Euronews

   23 Oct 2026, 10:07 UTCSource ↗

   Euronews reports that Starlink restrictions have not been lifted in Ukraine despite Trump's claims, according to defence officials who say Ukrainian forces continue to face disruptions to critical battlefield communications.

4. CNBC

   23 Oct 2026, 19:50 UTCSource ↗

   CNBC reports that SpaceX is still restricting Starlink in Ukraine and that since last week Ukraine has reported restrictions on Starshield, a version of Starlink, hampering its military operations against Russia.