Zelensky reports 850 Russian drones during connectivity throttle
Ukraine regained full access to Starlink’s military Starshield service on Thursday after a one-day disruption that coincided with overnight waves of Russian drone attacks, according to the Wall Street Journal.
On Wednesday, Ukraine said its access to the military version of Starlink had been throttled, hobbling its ability to carry out midrange drone strikes, intercept Russia’s fast jet-powered drones and conduct logistical operations because of speed restrictions, the Journal reported. The access was restored the following day, according to a person familiar with the matter.
“From midnight yesterday through 9 a.m. today, there had already been more than 850 ‘shaheds’—and this comes precisely at a time when the speed of our defensive capabilities is being artificially restricted,” Zelensky posted on X Thursday morning, referring to the connectivity limitations. He added: “We need HONESTY from our partners about this war: It is important that everyone in America stand not with the aggressor, but with our efforts to protect lives, end this war, and guarantee security.”
The Ukrainian defense ministry continued to work to determine the cause and circumstances of the restrictions, an official in the ministry said.
SpaceX declined to comment on Wednesday. Elon Musk said in a social-media post that limits on Starlink’s military platform Starshield are set by the Pentagon and ultimately by Trump himself. The White House declined to answer questions on the Starlink matter on Wednesday, saying only in a statement that “the president and his team remain committed to continuing to play a constructive role in ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, and he remains optimistic that we’ll ultimately get a peace deal done.”
The Starlink restoration came as Ukraine also resumed strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. On Thursday, long-range drones attacked the Ryazan oil refinery southeast of Moscow, sparking a fire, Russian officials said. Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility for the strike in Ryazan. The long-range drones used in the strike do not require Starlink connections, the Journal reported.
The refinery strike ended a dayslong pause in Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, during which Moscow repeatedly violated the Trump-ordered truce. After a massive attack in the early hours of Wednesday, Zelensky reported damage to 26 power system facilities and four facilities in the oil and gas sector.
“That’s it. The block is out,” Zelensky told the Financial Times in an interview published Thursday, referring to Ukraine’s moratorium on refinery strikes.
European and Ukrainian diplomats said the U.S. had threatened to withhold support, including intelligence sharing, if Kyiv did not halt attacks on refineries. The U.S. denied that it had made such threats. The U.S. last week announced plans to lift some sanctions on the Kremlin to allow it to buy Russian diesel, a move designed to curb U.S. prices at the pump that has angered Ukraine. Analysts say the move is unlikely to achieve its intended effect.