Ukraine Accuses SpaceX of Restricting Starlink, Disrupting Military Operations Amid Tensions With US

Ukrainian authorities have accused SpaceX of restricting access to its Starlink internet services, causing disruptions to military logistics and combat operations. The restrictions come amid an escalating dispute between Kyiv and the administration of US President Donald Trump.

Unexpected Restrictions on Military-Grade Starshield

Officials in Kyiv said they were taken by surprise when limits were imposed on the military-grade version of Elon Musk’s Starlink system, known as Starshield. Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov said in a social media post that the country’s defence forces received no advance warning of the restriction, which has led to the failure of several missions. He described the action as deliberate and linked to the current political situation.

The Starlink disruption compounds recent reports from the Ukrainian government of turmoil in intelligence-sharing with allies. The Trump administration warned Ukraine last weekend that the US could suspend intelligence sharing and European purchases of American weapons for Ukraine if Kyiv does not halt its long-range strikes on Russian energy facilities.

Intelligence provided by the US and other partners helps Ukraine defend against Russian ballistic missile attacks by supplying the locations of missile launchers, as well as data on where the strikes are heading and when.

Zelensky Says No Early Warning Before Deadly Missile Strike

Late on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his government had received no early warning from its partners before a deadly ballistic missile attack hit a major power plant in Kyiv and damaged a residential building. However, when asked earlier Tuesday, Trump said the US had not stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine. “We are helping them, and we are sharing intel. We want the war to end, so we’re working with them and with Russia on getting the war to end,” he said.

A Ukrainian military source with direct knowledge of day-to-day operations affected by Starlink told CNN that the complications are substantial. The source said the military is investigating connection issues in detail, and that the front line and occupied territories will be affected. “We were getting ready for this,” the source added.

A Ukrainian Defence Ministry source told CNN that the cause is being investigated, and that the situation significantly complicates logistics, unmanned systems, forces operations, and mid-range strikes. CNN has reached out to SpaceX for comment.

Musk Criticises Zelensky as Kremlin Watches Closely

On Saturday, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk criticised the Ukrainian president in a post on his social media platform X, writing that “Zelensky has gone too far” when it comes to strikes on Russian fuel facilities. CNN has also contacted the White House, the Pentagon, and the Ukrainian Defence Ministry for comment.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Russia had no further information about the Starlink disruptions in Ukraine. He added that the Kremlin is “carefully noting” reports of shifts in Washington’s support for Kyiv, but said it is too early to draw any systemic conclusions.

Massive Russian Attack on Energy Infrastructure Leaves Hundreds of Thousands Without Power

Meanwhile, another massive Russian attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure left more than 600,000 people without power early on Wednesday, according to Zelensky. Russia launched more than 120 drones and 39 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and Kharkiv, specifically targeting energy facilities, causing widespread power outages and significant damage to oil and gas infrastructure.

Zelensky noted that these are the very infrastructure covered by the ceasefire announced by the American president, referring to the surprise “energy ceasefire” that Trump announced last weekend. CNN journalists in the capital reported hearing multiple explosions. “This is absolutely unjust: when they (Russia) are destroying our energy infrastructure, and Ukraine is not even receiving early warnings about ballistic missile launches,” Zelensky said.

Intelligence sharing is no guarantee of protection. Russia’s ballistic missiles can reach Kyiv in just minutes, leaving little time to respond; in some recent attacks, air raid sirens sounded at the same time as the first explosions.

For months, Zelensky has urged partners to help bolster Ukraine’s air defences, especially in providing more ballistic-missile interceptors – one of the few weapons capable of knocking down ballistic missiles that travel faster than the speed of sound. His presidential adviser Beskrestnov warned that Starlink is also used for the operation of interceptor drones that help protect Ukrainian airspace from Russia’s jet-powered attack drones. “In effect, through their actions, our partners are depriving us of one of the few opportunities we have to defend the country against jet-powered ‘Shahed’ drones,” he said on Wednesday.

Energy Ceasefire in Question After Russian Strikes

Russia’s latest attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure has raised further questions about the so-called “energy ceasefire” announced by Trump on Sunday, which appeared to take both Kyiv and Moscow by surprise. After the unexpected US announcement, Zelensky said he supported the ceasefire even though he did not know about it in advance. By Monday, Zelensky said Russia had already violated the supposed ceasefire with fresh strikes – but said he was willing to abide by the agreement if Moscow does too.

When asked by reporters on Tuesday whether Russia had violated the ceasefire, Trump said: “I’ll let you know about that later,” according to Reuters. The Kremlin finally addressed the “energy ceasefire” on Wednesday after days of silence, questioning the specifics of the US proposal and saying that “work in this direction is continuing.” Russia and Ukraine have ramped up their attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure in recent months, as front lines on the ground stay largely unmoved. Russia’s defence ministry also said it had downed 902 drones overnight, according to Russian news agency Interfax.