Based on Ukraine says Starlink still restricted after Trump says limits lifted · BBC News, Oct 23, 2026, 05:36 ET
Explain the Big Deal: Ukraine says its military is still seeing Starlink and Starshield disruptions, while US officials say the limits have been reversed.
What happened?
Ukraine says its military is still recording problems with Starlink, even after Donald Trump said the limits had been lifted. Defence ministry sources told the BBC that drones were still losing connection, including at speeds of about 161km/h, which they said is affecting operations. Trump said Elon Musk had "put it back," but Ukrainian officials said they had no confirmation that restrictions were fully removed.
Who is involved and why does it matter?
The main people involved are Donald Trump, Elon Musk, the Ukrainian military and the White House. Ukraine relies on Starlink and Starshield for battlefield communications, drone operations and coordination, so any slowdown can affect how its forces operate. The dispute matters because both systems are tied to military communications, and the story suggests uncertainty over who controls access and whether changes were deliberate.
What is the broader context?
Starlink is a satellite internet system, and Ukraine uses a more secure version called Starshield for some military tasks. The networks are important in the war because they help troops communicate in remote areas and let drone operators see targets in real time. The BBC says Russia is not authorised to use Starlink, and that reports of slower speeds emerged during a wider political row between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.
What happens next?
What happens next is unclear, because Ukrainian officials say they are still monitoring the service and have not confirmed that restrictions are gone. Trump has not explained whether he asked Musk to restore the speeds, and the White House has denied deliberately limiting the network. The next update is likely to come from Ukrainian military checks, US officials, or further comments from Musk or Trump.
Written by the Explain the Big Deal template from the article above. An AI summary: read the full story at the source.
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