Ukraine says the dial is still turned down. Posting on X, Ukraine's deputy ambassador to the U.S., Denys Sienik, wrote, "Every day matters for Ukraine, because every Ukrainian life matters," and added that the country is waiting for restrictions to be lifted so its defenders have the capabilities to protect lives. "Unfortunately, as of today, nothing has changed. We continue to wait."
Zelenskyy said Friday on X that limits on Starlink and its military version, Starshield, "are still there," and added, "The speed has not been restored." He also noted Ukraine is waiting for U.S. missile interceptors "that were already agreed on," and said the frontline is holding and he is proud of how strong Ukrainians are.
Serhii Beskrestnov, a defense technology adviser to Zelenskyy, said the curbs remain. In a post translated by Google, he noted that isolated instances where Starlink appears to work beyond the limits likely come from SpaceX's algorithms or specific usage conditions, not an actual removal of restrictions.
Dmitri Alperovitch, chairman of the Silverado Policy Accelerator, said that as of Friday Ukraine's Starshield terminals were still having issues, even though President Donald Trump had recently suggested the service had been restored. "They are losing drones," Alperovitch said, noting he previously co-founded CrowdStrike and served as its chief technology officer. "Ability to do mid strike to hit Russian logistics is now limited."
Ukrainian officials say that since Oct. 14, SpaceX has imposed speed limits on Starshield that cut connections for drones traveling faster than 100 mph, disrupting some operations.
One image from the front underscores how embedded the system is: on October 16, 2026, members of a distinct task rifle battalion within the National Police of Ukraine in the Zaporizhzhia region removed a camouflage cover from a Starlink satellite communication terminal so it could be set up for deployment at a fighting post in Ukraine's Donetsk region.
When markets and technology intersect, staying informed matters, so sign up for the free Market Briefs newsletter for quick context
Who made the call to limit service is still unclear. Lawmakers from both parties have called for an investigation into Elon Musk and the Starshield throttling. Musk and SpaceX representatives did not respond to a request for comment right away.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Donald Trump spoke with Musk by phone about lifting restrictions on Ukraine's Starshield terminals. That day, Trump said he did not "want to comment one way or the other" on whether he made the call, adding, "The bottom line, he put it back." On Friday, Trump stated he had not talked to Musk and again said Starshield service had been restored: "I've heard it was fixed," he told reporters outside the White House. "But if it's not, I'll speak to him."
With disruptions continuing, Zelenskyy and other officials are exploring backup options. Experts told CNBC that lining up alternatives could be difficult because other systems are not yet comparable to Starlink. On Wednesday, Zelenskyy wrote on X that he had met with Norwegian officials and Kongsberg to discuss air defense systems and "launching work on new satellite communication capabilities for our warriors." On Thursday, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense signed an LOI alongside Nokia and ICEYE to "explore cooperation in space" and "support Ukraine's defense capabilities, particularly in building sovereign satellite communications," the companies said. As Zelenskyy put it, "Modern warfare has proven that reliable communications are a matter of national security," and "We must all rely on capabilities that we can control."
Connectivity is now core infrastructure for modern warfare, and procurement follows reliability. Ongoing Starshield limits, unclear decision authority, and Ukraine's outreach to Nokia, ICEYE and Kongsberg point to steady demand for resilient, sovereign satellite communications and adjacent defense tech. The bottom line: watch defense tech, space networking, and dual use cybersecurity as spending priorities shift toward systems countries can control.
Clear, concise updates make it easier to follow shifts without getting overwhelmed, subscribe to Market Briefs for a five minute digest
