US Satellite Service Glitch Grounds Ukrainian Drones, Halts Operations for Three Days

Ukrainian commanders reported that a failure in the Pentagon-funded Starshield satellite internet system caused the video feeds of dozens of armed drones to go fuzzy, resulting in crashes worth over $1 million. The loss of connectivity forced Ukrainian units to suspend almost all offensive actions, including strikes on Russian command posts and fuel hubs, for three days. The disruption came amid rising tension between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump, who recently eased sanctions on Russian oil.

US officials, including Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, denied any intentional limitation of the service, while several lawmakers called for its restoration. Ukrainian leaders suspect the imposed speed limit of 100 mph on Starshield connections is a political decision that hampers air-defense drones. The episode underscores Ukraine’s dependence on SpaceX’s military-grade satellite network and its vulnerability to policy-driven restrictions.