‘We Pay for It’: Germany Demands Starlink Restrictions in Ukraine Be Lifted

Germany has demanded that restrictions on Starlink satellite communications in Ukraine be lifted, arguing that equipment financed by Berlin must remain operational.

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Germany was seeking answers from the US about the disruptions, though it did not yet have a complete picture of their cause, German broadcaster ntv reported.

“These restrictions must be lifted,” Wadephul said, arguing that Germany finances some of the Starlink equipment used in Ukraine.

“And so, of course, we insist that it works if we are paying for it. Ukraine must continue to receive full support,” he said.

Wadephul’s remarks added diplomatic pressure over disruptions to a service Ukrainian forces use for communications, drone operations, and frontline logistics. But Wadephul stopped short of identifying who was responsible.

Germany had questions for the US “that we will clarify,” he said.

Sources in Ukraine’s defense ministry told Kyiv Post on Thursday morning, Oct. 15, that Starshield connectivity while in motion had been restored and remained operational, according to reports from military units. However, the sources did not specify the speeds at which the service was functioning or whether any speed restrictions remained.

The ministry was continuing communications to establish the reasons and circumstances behind the previous day’s restrictions, the sources said.

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That update confirmed the resumption of service but did not establish what caused the disruption or how it was resolved.

On Wednesday, ministry sources told Kyiv Post that SpaceX had introduced speed restrictions overnight without advance warning to Ukraine’s defense forces.

They described a limit of 160 kilometers per hour, or about 100 mph, although units reported losing connectivity at speeds ranging from approximately 72 to 161 km/h (45 to 100 mph).

The restrictions hampered drone missions, including interceptor and medium-range strike operations, and reduced capabilities for logistics, reconnaissance, and communications relay.

Ukraine is seeking to raise the operating speed limit to 450 km/h (280 mph) to allow interceptor drones to pursue faster Russian aerial threats, including jet-powered drones.

Dan Rice, president of American University Kyiv and a former special adviser to Ukraine’s military commander-in-chief, warned that such restrictions could have deadly consequences.

Speaking to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Rice described the scale of the threat facing Ukrainian air defenses.

“When you have 500 inbound Shaheeds, jet-powered Shaheeds, and I was hit within 400 meters [1,312 feet] twice this week,” he said, “you need to have interceptors going out to protect Ukrainian civilians.”

Rice warned that interference with high-speed interceptor operations could allow Russian drones to reach civilian targets, including schools, hospitals, and residential buildings.

Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the restrictions also impaired Ukrainian drone missions against Russian military logistics and command facilities approximately 150-250 kilometers (93 to 155 miles) behind Russian lines.

The consequences extend beyond battlefield efficiency.

In an interview with Piers Morgan on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the restrictions had already cost Ukrainian lives.

“People are dying because of his decision,” Zelensky said.

“I’m sure that they knew what they did. Absolutely,” he added.

However, the Ukrainian leader stopped short of identifying who had ordered the restrictions.

“I don’t know, him or somebody pushed him to… I don’t know really,” Zelensky said when asked whether he was angry with Elon Musk.

“We are professionals. If you are losing the speed of Starlink, we understand what’s going on. So they switched off. That’s their decision,” he added.

The controversy has also clarified who ultimately controls the military satellite system.

Starshield is a government-focused version of SpaceX’s Starlink network, developed for military and national security operations. Unlike commercial Starlink, the Starshield services at issue operate under US government control.

Elon Musk, SpaceX’s chief executive, confirmed Wednesday that restrictions on the system were a government decision.

“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,” Musk wrote on X.