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Ukraine continues to face connectivity issues on SpaceX's Starlink satellite communications service after US President Donald Trump said he had lifted restrictions on its owner, Elon Musk, multiple Defense Ministry officials told the BBC on Wednesday.
Ministry of Defense officials said the drone, which was traveling at 100 miles per hour, lost contact with Starlink, disrupting military operations.
The Ukrainian military constantly monitors the status of both Starlink and StarShield military service networks.
"At this time, we have not received any confirmation that the restrictions will be lifted," officials said.
Last week, Ukraine announced that data transmission speeds to low-orbit satellites such as Starlink were being restricted, affecting the speed at which drones can fly. Officials said the drone, which was traveling at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour, lost contact.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on the 22nd that the communications system had not yet fully recovered its speed. "We're waiting to hear from Secretary of State (Marco) Rubio. He promised to give us information in about 48 hours," he said.
Trump, on the other hand, has denied ever instructing Musk to limit the use of StarShield. On the 22nd, Musk said he had "restored it."
"If there's a problem, I'll solve it," Trump said when asked by a reporter about the matter on Tuesday. "I haven't talked to him (Musk). I might have to, but I haven't done it yet. I've heard it's been resolved. But if it's not, I'm going to talk to him."
Trump also said in response to a question from reporters that he doesn't think Musk has too much power.
Musk has previously said he was not involved in the speed limits that affected military operations in Ukraine.
When Ukraine announced that it would be hampered by restrictions on its use, Musk explained that Starshield is controlled by the U.S. military. He suggested that the US Department of Defense may be behind this issue.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government has repeatedly insisted it has never intentionally restricted the Starlink network.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump expressed to Musk his dissatisfaction with continued restrictions on Starlink's communication speeds, and that Starlink has since returned to normal.
Under these circumstances, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham spoke by phone with Mr. Trump on the night of the 23rd. Mr Burnham "stressed the importance of full access to Starlink for Ukraine to continue to protect itself from a full-scale Russian invasion," a statement from Downing Street said.
“If it gets cut off, it will be a disaster.”
Ukraine uses Starlink, a civilian service, and StarShield, which has high security functions, depending on communication needs.
These networks utilize 10,000 satellites to provide communications connectivity even in remote areas and battlefields. Starshield allows Ukrainian drone operators to see and intercept targets in real time.
Russia is not allowed to use Starlink. Therefore, this network would not work if Ukraine were to attack oil refineries deep within Russian territory with long-range missiles.
A Ukrainian soldier interviewed by the BBC said there was "no replacement" for Starshield. The soldier said his unit was traveling at speeds of 80 km/h this week when communications went out.
``Let me just say this: If it were completely cut off, it would be a huge disaster,'' the soldier emphasized. "We need backup methods to ensure communications and internet connectivity," he said.
Another soldier said that when Starlink first showed anomalies, they reverted to the "proven algorithms" they had previously used. However, he emphasized that the Ukrainian military needs Starlink because of its speed.
``When transmitting data and commands quickly, even the difference of one or two seconds is extremely important,'' the soldier said. ``On the battlefield, you really feel that advantage.''
Conflict between Trump and Zelensky
Ukraine's slowdowns come amid tense diplomacy between Trump and Zelensky over Ukraine's attacks on Russia's oil infrastructure.
Trump agreed to lift some sanctions against Russia and import Russian diesel fuel ahead of the US midterm elections. This has been criticized by Ukraine and its European allies.
Trump has claimed that Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries are driving up oil prices around the world. Ukraine says the attack is important in cutting off a major source of revenue for Russia's war effort.
To some extent, attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure are having an impact on global fuel prices. However, this year's price increase is said to be primarily due to the war between the US and Israel and Iran.
Zelenskiy said the US threatened to stop providing information if he did not stop attacking Russian oil facilities. Mr. Trump denies this.
In this confrontation, both leaders have each uttered harsh words. Trump suggests Ukraine needs a new president. Zelenskiy says Trump is not a true leader.
(English article: Ukraine says Starlink still restricted after Trump says limits lifted)
