Ukraine and its European allies remain dependent on U.S. intelligence, according to analysts at the German magazine Spiegel.
The publication said American satellites are especially important for the Ukrainian military. Ukrainian forces use them for long-range operations, while drones depend heavily on stable communications to reach assigned targets.
Spiegel argued that further restrictions on Starlink could have a serious impact on the battlefield, where drones play a key role in Ukraine’s defense.
Europe plans to expand its own satellite network, but the publication noted that deploying such systems will take time. Its analysts also expect European alternatives to be significantly more expensive and less capable than the U.S. system.
The current communications restrictions affecting Ukrainian forces are said to primarily involve Starshield, the military system controlled by the Pentagon. Elon Musk previously said he did not impose those restrictions and suggested that the decision may have been made by the U.S. military.