Arabic version: قيود سرعة ستارلينك تكشف اعتماد أوكرانيا في ساحة المعركة

According to BBC News, Starlink unexpectedly restricted the speed at which Ukrainian drones could maintain an internet connection on Tuesday night, disrupting some battlefield missions and hampering efforts to defend against Russian attacks. The 100mph (160km/h) limit meant drones flying faster lost connection and became effectively useless. Connectivity had been restored by Wednesday evening.

Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, uses more than 10,000 active low-Earth-orbit satellites to deliver high-speed internet. In Ukraine, its civilian Starlink service and military-grade Starshield service support communications across naval, land and air forces. The network allows drone operators to see targets and flight paths in real time, while helping link drones, artillery and command posts.

The service is particularly important because drones can remain connected over longer distances than with conventional radio networks and are less vulnerable to jamming. George Barros of the Institute for the Study of War said Starlink has become “the backbone of military communications in Ukraine”. He said Ukraine also relies on the network to protect its skies from incoming Russian attacks.

Jet-powered Shahed drones fly above 198mph (319km/h), making them difficult for Ukrainian forces to chase under the restriction. Kurt Volker, a former US ambassador to Nato, said Starlink enables Ukraine to see incoming threats and protect people. With no ready replacement for the network, restrictions or connectivity losses can have major implications for Ukraine’s defences.

The reason for the speed limit remains unclear. President Volodymyr Zelensky said he hoped it had been a mistake, but later told the Financial Times: “It was not a technical problem, it was the will.” Musk said Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government, while describing Starlink as a commercial service limited to civilian or defensive activities.