The story of satellite communication restrictions for Ukrainian military forces has taken a new turn. According to a report by the German tagesschau, US President Donald Trump stated that the Starshield military communication system for Ukraine has once again "returned". Meanwhile, Kyiv is viewing this version of events much more cautiously.
What Trump Said
When asked by journalists if he had called Elon Musk, Trump answered evasively: it didn't matter who exactly called, the main point was that, according to him, Musk had "turned everything back on". Previously, The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported that Musk had ordered restrictions on Starshield's operations. As a result, some Ukrainian drones allegedly stopped working. According to the newspaper, Trump later ordered Musk to lift these restrictions.
On the morning of October 23, tagesschau had already reported in a short news segment that Ukraine's access to Starlink had been fully restored.
Kyiv: "All of this is untrue"
However, there is currently no official confirmation from the Ukrainian side that the restrictions have been lifted. A Ukrainian official told The Kyiv Independent that claims of restoration were "completely false". According to him, the speed limit of 161 km/h for controlling drones via the system remains in effect.
Why Starshield is so important
Starshield is the military version of the commercial satellite internet Starlink, owned by Musk's SpaceX. The system operates on the same satellite network but features enhanced encryption and specialized terminals. It is critically important for the Armed Forces of Ukraine: it maintains frontline communications, enables the control of strike drones, and supports counter-drone operations.
Who makes the decisions
Musk himself had previously stated that all speed or usage restrictions for Starshield are determined by the US military and, ultimately, the US President. However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Trump himself have dismissed this version. Against the backdrop of this dispute, as tagesschau notes, relations between Kyiv and Washington have noticeably deteriorated over the past few weeks.
What this means
The situation once again demonstrates how dependent Ukraine's defense is on the decisions of a single private company and the political will of Washington. This is precisely why Europe is increasingly discussing the need for its own independent satellite communication systems to support Ukraine.
Source: tagesschau.de, 23.10.2026. Text paraphrased in Ukrainian.