Starlink military access not fully restored for Ukraine, says Zelenskyy

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 23:38 · Archive

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says military access to Starlink satellite internet has not been fully restored after speed restrictions.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that Ukrainian military access to Starlink satellite internet has not been fully restored after speed limitations were imposed. Speaking after meeting EU leaders in Brussels, Zelenskyy described the throttling as a 'very dangerous and unpleasant surprise' and said the White House had signalled it would return the capabilities, but had not yet done so.

Ukraine has long depended critically on Starlink for military operations during the war with Russia. Zelenskyy said the speed restrictions had left Ukraine unable to intercept Russian Shaheds — combat drones — that attack civilian infrastructure. According to media reports, the order to restrict Starshield, the military-grade version of the service, came from the White House. The administration is also suspected of withholding intelligence from Ukraine on incoming Russian ballistic missile strikes, though neither restriction has been officially confirmed.

The EU is now under pressure to provide alternative satellite access for Ukrainian troops. European lawmakers have called on the European Commission to fast-track Ukraine's access to Govsatcom, a programme that pools secure satellite communications capabilities among participating EU governments. Negotiations between the EU executive and Ukraine over this access have been ongoing since March with no breakthrough, though Norway and Iceland secured similar agreements earlier this year.

How it is being reported

• Growing dispute over Starlink disruptions in UkraineThere are growing questions over who gave the order to restrict Starlink internet speeds in Ukraine, which disrupted drone operations and, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, put lives at risk. CBS News international reporter Aidan Stretch has the details.CBS News · 17 Oct, 00:56
• EU faces growing pressure to plug Ukraine’s Starlink gapBRUSSELS — The European Union is under pressure to keep Ukrainian troops fully online after Elon Musk’s Starlink was restricted amid volatile U.S. support for Kyiv. “It was a very dangerous and unpleasant surprise,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters after EU leaders met in Brussels, referring to Starlink speed limitations experienced by military troops […]Politico Europe · 16 Oct, 18:43
• Starlink access still not fully restored for Ukraine’s military, says ZelenskyyUkrainian president says US limiting access was a ‘dangerous and unpleasant surprise’, amid reports the order came from inside White House Europe live – latest updates Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the Ukrainian military’s access to the Starlink satellite internet service has not yet been fully restored, as media reports suggested the order to throttle the service had come from within the White House. Zelenskyy met European leaders on Friday in Brussels, where he asked the EU for another €70bn next year to fund Ukraine’s defence against Russia. Continue reading...Guardian World · 16 Oct, 16:39

In this story: Volodymyr Zelenskyy · Donald Trump · Elon Musk · Ukraine · Russia · European Union · White House · Starlink

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