Washington has made no changes to the provision of Starlink and Starshield satellite communications services to Ukraine. US authorities have also issued no orders affecting the operation of either system, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth told reporters.
Hegseth explained that the United States had not canceled any existing arrangements. However, access to satellite services comes with rules that users must follow, and Starlink retains the authority to decide how those requirements are enforced. He stressed that the US government had taken no action to alter the situation and that Washington’s broader policy toward Ukraine remained unchanged.
His remarks came amid reports of Starlink connectivity problems affecting the Ukrainian Armed Forces. On October 14, former Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Sergey Sternenko reported that restrictions imposed overnight had disrupted satellite communications. According to him, terminals began losing their connection when moving at speeds exceeding 160 kilometers per hour, hampering Ukrainian military operations.
The restrictions subsequently became even tighter. Sternenko later reported that the speed threshold had been lowered to 60 kilometers per hour, meaning connectivity problems could occur at significantly lower speeds than before.