Ukraine says SpaceX limiting Starlink operations, impacting air defense

Ukraine is raising alarm that air defense operations are being impacted by unannounced limitations on SpaceX satellites .

The disruption comes following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warning that President Trump has threatened to cut off intelligence sharing with the country.

Limits on Starlink’s services in Ukraine occurred without warning, presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov wrote on Telegram, as reported by Reuters .

A source familiar with the matter told The Hill that Ukrainian drones, airplanes and helicopters were impacted by the limitations, with Starlink services cut off for objects that traveled faster than 100 miles per hour.

This hampered Ukraine’s ability to intercept and counter Russian-launched explosive drones , the source said. Military units also reported issues with drone operations at lower speeds as well, the source said.

“This will also give Russians a real leverage on a frontline at the time when we effectively stopped their advances, and de-occupy the territories,” they added.

Ukraine uses Starshield, the military-grade network of satellite services provided by Starlink. The satellite internet provider is owned by Elon Musk, a tech billionaire and close ally to Trump.

SpaceX, which operates Starlink and is owned by Musk, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The slowdown in Starlink’s speed comes as the Trump administration is exercising renewed pressure on Zelensky, with Trump demanding Ukraine halt strikes on Russian oil refineries that he says are contributing to higher diesel prices in the U.S.

Zelensky told NPR in an interview published Tuesday that the president floated blocking intelligence sharing with Kyiv until it halted its strikes.

“Did we get any messages it can be stopped? Yes. My generals told me we have such risk,” he told the radio program .

The Ukrainian leader added that U.S. intelligence is important for receiving warnings about Russian ballistic missile strikes. Underscoring the threat, he said the nation had not received information about such threats over the last two nights, describing it as a technical glitch.

He did not comment on whether the U.S. was withholding the data.

Zelensky has defended strikes on Russian energy infrastructure as defensive responses to Russian attacks against Ukraine’s electricity grids and civilian infrastructure.

The leader also told NPR that he found out about Trump’s proposed energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine through the president’s social media account.

He also told Fox News on Monday that Kyiv held off on striking Russian energy sites following Trump’s directive, but that Russia hit Ukrainian gas stations , energy infrastructure and other facilities.