Ukraine still reports Starlink problems despite Trump’s claim restrictions lifted

Ukraine is still experiencing problems with its military satellite communications network, Ukrainian defence ministry sources told the BBC, despite US President Donald Trump saying that Elon Musk had reversed restrictions on the service.

Ukraine is still experiencing problems with its military satellite communications network, Ukrainian defence ministry sources told the BBC, despite US President Donald Trump saying that Elon Musk had reversed restrictions on the service.

The reported disruptions have affected military drone operations, with some drones losing connectivity when travelling at speeds of around 161 kilometres per hour (100 miles per hour), the BBC reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Trump said on Thursday that Musk had restored the service, after initially denying that he had instructed the billionaire to restrict Ukraine’s access to Starlink’s military-grade counterpart, Starshield.

Musk had also denied responsibility for the slowdown, saying that decisions on Starshield’s speed and use were made by the US military and ultimately the president.

Ukrainian sources said the military was continuing to monitor the performance of Starlink and Starshield, indicating that the service had not been fully restored.

The restrictions were first reported earlier this month and disrupted communications used by Ukrainian forces, including systems supporting attack and defensive drone operations.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk had ordered the slowdown. The newspaper later reported that Trump called Musk on Wednesday and asked him to lift the restrictions. US and Ukrainian officials cited by the newspaper said the system was working more normally on Thursday, although some Ukrainian officials said it had not returned to full functionality.

The White House has denied that Trump ordered the restrictions. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said decisions about Ukraine’s access to Starlink were a matter for SpaceX and Musk, rather than the White House.