MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. Some Ukrainian military operations were disrupted once again as Starlink and Starshield restrictions remained partially in place, former Ukrainian Defense Ministry adviser Sergey Sternenko said.
"The situation with Starlink/Starshield remains unclear. Some Ukrainian military units reported that Starlink was working again on drones flying above the previously imposed speed limits. However, the restrictions remain in place in some cases, and some missions have been disrupted," he wrote on his Telegram channel.
Last week, Kiev said SpaceX had introduced restrictions on Starlink terminals used by Ukrainian forces at speeds above 160 km/h, disrupting a number of Ukrainian military operations. SpaceX founder Elon Musk, in turn, said the Starlink satellite system was not used for offensive military operations and served only defensive and civilian purposes. He said Starshield is owned and controlled by the US government, which determines usage and speed restrictions through the military and, ultimately, the president. The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk ordered the restrictions on Ukraine’s access to Starshield.
On the evening of October 22, US President Donald Trump said Ukraine’s access to the Starshield military satellite communications system had been restored. However, he did not disclose who had issued the order.