Uncertainty Over Starlink Cutoff for Ukrainian Forces: Washington or Musk?

In brief

• Starlink service for the Ukrainian army was cut off without warning nearly two weeks ago, leaving the decision-maker unclear.
• Two possibilities for the order are the Trump administration requesting action from SpaceX, or Elon Musk, who controls the company.
• Ukrainian officials confirmed Starlink communication with drones resumed Saturday, supporting speeds up to 400 km/h, up from 160 km/h before the outage.
• The service disruption limited Ukrainian military operations on the front.

Potential Decision Makers

The internet connection provided by SpaceX to Ukrainian forces was severed without prior notice, and the source of the directive is unconfirmed nearly two weeks later (Kto oslepil Ukrajincov? Biely dom alebo Musk? Američania vypnutím Starlinku nevystrašili iba Ukrajincov – Denník N). Two parties are being considered as potential sources of the order: the government led by President Donald Trump, which could have asked SpaceX to cease operations, or Elon Musk, the owner of the satellite company and the world's wealthiest individual, who has previously limited its service.

Impact on Drone Operations

Ukrainian authorities reported that Starlink communication with drones resumed functioning starting Saturday, supporting speeds up to approximately 400 kilometres per hour. Prior to this restoration, drones were losing signal at speeds around 160 kilometres per hour. This sudden service interruption significantly restricted Ukrainian military activities both in offensive and defensive actions.

Frontline Developments

The service disruption occurred while Ukrainian forces were advancing toward the town of Velyka Novosilka, although the pressure in that area lessened without ceasing (Vývoj bojov (1705. deň): Ukrajinci sa približujú k mestu, z ktorého v lete 2023 neúspešne útočili na juh – Denník N). Russian forces also stated that a Ukrainian drone caused a train derailment in Voronezh, resulting in two fatalities, a claim that Kyiv has not verified in these reports.