EU Urges SpaceX to Restore Full Starlink Service in Ukraine After Speed Limits Disrupt Drone Operations

The European Commission on Wednesday called on SpaceX to urgently restore full Starlink satellite communications service in Ukraine, saying reports of recent service restrictions were "deeply concerning." Ukrainian officials said the limits have disrupted military drone missions, with connections dropping when terminals move faster than 160 kilometers (99 miles) per hour. Thomas Regnier, the Commission's defense and space spokesman, said at a Brussels press briefing that the slowdown is inconsistent with SpaceX's past practices and that Ukraine needs the critical communications service to keep soldiers connected and operate drones. SpaceX imposed restrictions on some Starlink services used in Ukraine starting October 14. President Trump on Wednesday denied involvement in the decision, saying he did not know whether Elon Musk ordered it. The Wall Street Journal reported a day earlier that Musk personally ordered the restrictions, while The Daily Telegraph reported last Friday that Musk proposed them to Trump and received his approval. Musk said on October 14 that neither he nor SpaceX was responsible for limits on the Starshield system, which he said is controlled by the U.S. government.