WASHINGTON — Ukrainian officials reacted with fury Wednesday after SpaceX restricted Kyiv’s Starlink satellite service without advance notice, disrupting military drone operations as Russian forces launched another wave of attacks against civilian infrastructure.
The restriction limited Ukrainian drones to roughly 100 miles per hour, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to The Post. “At that speed, operating UAVs, aircraft and helicopters during high-speed missions becomes impossible,” the source said, warning that the change could also undermine Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian Shahed drones.
The source said the disruption could hamper defense missions, supply movements and operations already underway. The limits, the person added, could hand Russian forces “real leverage” along the front at a moment when Ukraine had managed to halt their advance and begin reclaiming occupied territory.
“Our defense forces received no warning about this restriction, and several missions were disrupted as a result,” presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov wrote on Telegram.
Ukraine’s armed forces have depended heavily on Starlink since Russia’s invasion. Poland, which helps fund the service, reportedly pays about $50 million annually for Ukraine’s access.
The Starlink dispute comes as President Trump has repeatedly urged Kyiv to stop attacking Russian energy facilities. Ukraine uses separate technology for those strikes, while Trump has cited rising global energy costs in pressing for an end to the attacks.
After speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, Trump announced plans to bring hundreds of thousands of tons of Russian diesel into the United States in an effort to lower domestic prices.
Trump has also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and suggested that Ukrainians should choose a different leader. Musk, the head of SpaceX, later appeared to support that position, writing on X Saturday that “Zelensky has gone too far.”
“I agree, time for Ukraine to get a new leader,” Musk wrote Sunday.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski responded sharply Wednesday, questioning whether Musk was using SpaceX technology for political purposes. “Hey, @elonmusk, big man, are you playing politics with your products again? As your European customers, we are watching you,” Sikorski posted on X.
The Starlink slowdown was reported after Russia fired ballistic missiles at Ukraine for a second consecutive night, with no advance warning provided to Kyiv.
The United States has traditionally alerted Ukrainian authorities when Russian ballistic missile launches were detected.
“It is especially unfortunate that this happened alongside what we were told were glitches in the early-warning notifications from our partners about ballistic missile attacks,” The Post’s source said after the latest bombardment.
According to Zelensky, Russia launched 39 ballistic missiles and more than 120 drones against Ukraine, including an attack that struck energy infrastructure.
The barrage disrupted electricity supplies for approximately 600,000 people, Ukraine’s president said.
“We call on America and everyone around the world who refuses to ignore reality to respond — and to respond forcefully,” Zelensky wrote on X after the strikes. “Russia has wasted the chance to de-escalate and has made clear that it intends to continue its insane war of annihilation.”
“I am grateful to everyone who helps Ukraine! Peace can only come through strength, and we ask America to remember this principle of [Ronald] Reagan’s.”
The Ukrainians currently have a contract with Starlink through May 15, 2027, and have contacted the company for information about the apparent throttling, according to the source.
