A disruption in the US military satellite internet service Starshield caused Ukrainian drones worth more than $1 million to fall from the sky and forced troops to halt almost all operations for three days, The New York Times reported, citing Ukrainian military commanders.
asserted
Times → cause → commanders
A senior Ukrainian commander, identified only by his first name, Oleh, said dozens of armed drones were heading towards Russian military targets last week when their video feeds suddenly went fuzzy.
asserted
feeds → identify → targets
The drones had lost their connection to ground-based pilots through Starshield, a Pentagon-funded satellite internet service, he said.
asserted
he → lose → Starshield
Many of the drones crashed, costing his units more than $1 million worth of weaponry, according to the report.
uncertain
Many → crash → report
The development comes days after
Donald Trump’s reported engagement with Russian counterpart
Vladimir Putin over efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
asserted
development → come → Ukraine
The MAGA supremo also recently eased sanctions on Russian oil.
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supremo → ease → oil
Oleh said the disruption forced his units to suspend almost all operations for the next three days, including strikes on Russian command posts and fuel hubs.
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disruption → say → posts
Such attacks help protect Ukrainian troops on the front lines and slow Russian advances, he said.
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he → help → advances
The reported disruptions have added to the growing tensions between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump.
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disruptions → report → Zelenskyy
Ukrainian troops said connectivity had improved after a week, but problems persisted.
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problems → say → week
The Trump administration has issued mixed statements on the issue, denying that any changes were made to satellite internet services in Ukraine while also saying that service had been restored.
Ukrainian officials fear the disruptions were ordered to punish Kyiv for attacks on Russian oil refineries and pressure it into making concessions in the war.
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disruptions → issue → war
Ukraine has also reported gaps in US military intelligence sharing and delays in deliveries of American interceptor missiles.
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Ukraine → report → missiles
US officials have denied deliberately disrupting these services.
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officials → deny → services
What is Starshield and how does it affect Ukraine?
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it → affect → Ukraine
Starshield is a military-grade satellite communications system developed by SpaceX, the company owned by
Elon Musk.
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Starshield → develop → Musk
It is a more advanced sister system to Starlink, which is widely used by Ukrainian forces for communications and drone operations.
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which → use → communications
European countries pay for Ukraine's access to Starshield.
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countries → pay → Starshield
Many units rely on it to operate drones while using standard Starlink connections for basic communications.
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units → rely → communications
Ukrainian officials have reported slowdowns affecting both Starshield and Starlink.
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officials → report → Starshield
Musk has said that Starshield is controlled by the Pentagon.
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Starshield → say → Pentagon
However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio added to the confusion when he said on Wednesday that SpaceX determined access to both Starlink and Starshield.
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SpaceX → add → Starlink
According to Ukrainian officials, the initial disruption caused drones to lose their connections at speeds as low as 40 miles per hour.
uncertain
drones → accord → hour
Connectivity has since improved, but drones reportedly continue to lose their connections when travelling faster than 100 miles per hour.
uncertain
drones → improve → hour
While some drone models can operate at these lower speeds, others need to fly faster to hit their targets, the report said.
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report → operate → targets
The restrictions have also affected interceptor drones used to bring down Russian drones targeting Ukrainian cities, Zelenskyy said.
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Zelenskyy → affect → cities
Ukraine is now looking for alternative ways to operate its drones, fearing that satellite connectivity could be restricted again or cut off entirely.
uncertain
connectivity → look → drones
Military commanders said the search for alternatives was diverting soldiers' attention from battlefield operations.
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search → say → operations
US denies deliberately restricting satellite services
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US → restrict → services
Ukrainian officials have sought clarification on who ordered the reported restrictions on Starshield and Starlink and why.
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who → seek → Starshield
A White House official told The New York Times that there had been no changes to satellite internet services in Ukraine.
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official → tell → Ukraine
Trump also denied responsibility for any changes, saying on Friday that it “wasn’t me” and that “from what I understand, it’s the same as it’s always been.”
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it → deny → what
Rubio said a day later that a Starlink slowdown in Ukraine had “sort of happened” but added that “my understanding is it’s been restored.”
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it → say → Ukraine
Zelenskyy has described the changes to Starshield as “a planned operation”.
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Zelenskyy → describe → operation
On NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said that “President Trump and Secretary Rubio have categorically said that no one in the Trump administration did that, and I think it is very reckless for President Zelenskyy to make such a charge.”
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Zelenskyy → say → charge
The issue has also drawn criticism from US lawmakers across party lines, with calls for the Trump administration to restore Ukraine's satellite connectivity.
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administration → draw → connectivity
After a group of lawmakers spoke with Zelenskyy over a video call on Monday, Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said the Ukrainian president had “confirmed ongoing Starlink disruptions, reported interruptions to critical US intelligence sharing and raised concerns about delays in air-defense interceptors.”
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president → speak → interceptors
Tillis also criticised Washington's approach towards Moscow, saying: “Degrading Ukraine’s satellite communications, weakening its air defenses and easing sanctions against Russia only embolden Putin and prolong this war.”
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Degrading → criticise → war
He was referring to a move by Trump to allow the US to buy Russian diesel fuel.
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US → refer → fuel
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy said he had a “substantive discussion” with Rubio about Starshield, shortages of missile interceptors and recent disruptions to early warning systems for Russian ballistic missile attacks.
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he → say → attacks
Rubio rejected claims that the US had withheld warnings about Russian attacks on Ukraine, calling them “simply not accurate”.
uncertain
US → reject → them
…and 22 more, not listed.
The Aporia
