SpaceX has imposed overnight speed restrictions on Starlink terminals in Ukraine that limit connectivity to 160 kilometers per hour, disrupting drone operations essential to Ukraine's air defense, according to Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Beskrestnov said on Wednesday that Ukraine received no advance notice of the restrictions and claimed the move "cannot be a coincidence and is related to the current political situation." SpaceX has not commented on the restrictions.
A source in Ukraine's defence ministry confirmed to the BBC that the restrictions affect Starlink connectivity once vehicles or assets exceed the 160 km/h threshold, causing terminals to lose connection. Defence ministry officials told the BBC this degrades capabilities for drone operations, particularly interceptors and mid-range strike drones, as well as front-line logistics, reconnaissance, and signal relaying.
Starlink provides critical internet access enabling Ukrainian forces to guide drones against Russian targets and coordinate air defense interceptions. Beskrestnov stressed in a follow-up post that Starlink is the most effective tool for enabling interceptors to shoot down Russia's newly developed jet-propelled drones.
The restrictions come as Russia launched 39 ballistic and cruise missiles and 128 drones over Ukraine overnight. Ukraine's air force reported shooting down four missiles and 115 drones. Russian strikes killed at least three people in Kyiv and six in Lutsk, with 600,000 people losing electricity across Ukraine after hits to "critical" energy infrastructure.
The incident follows Trump's Sunday announcement of an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine, which Zelensky has said the US threatened to enforce through restricted intelligence sharing. However, Russia continues strikes despite the declared ceasefire. Ukraine's air force could not issue early warnings on Tuesday night because missiles struck before air raid sirens sounded.
Zelensky prepared to meet UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday to discuss accelerating air defense supplies to Ukraine. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected the ceasefire concept, arguing Europe would use any truce to "pump new weapons" into Ukraine.