A failure in the US military satellite network Starshield disrupted Ukrainian drone operations for several days, exposing Kyiv’s heavy reliance on American technology. Ukrainian officials fear that Washington could use military systems and intelligence sharing to exert pressure, Berliner Zeitung reports. Those concerns have intensified as US President Donald Trump’s administration reassesses its relations with Moscow. Ukraine has little prospect of quickly ending this dependence, with alternative systems unlikely to become available before 2028.
The disruption began on October 14, when satellite terminals started losing connectivity at speeds above 160 km/h. While stationary equipment remained unaffected, the restrictions interfered with drones and vehicles operating in motion. It was not until October 24 that Ukraine’s Defense Ministry announced the restoration of stable connections at speeds exceeding 400 km/h.
The breakdown severely hampered Ukrainian drone strikes against supply routes behind the front line. Yuri Butusov, commander of a drone unit in the National Guard’s 13th Khartiya Brigade, reported a significant decline in attack effectiveness. According to Marina Gritsenko, a defense technology expert and co-founder of the Kyiv-based Serpens Center for International Security, some aircraft lost contact with their operators mid-flight, resulting in lost equipment and failed missions. Operators of high-speed interceptor drones deployed against Russian Geran UAVs also encountered difficulties.
For Gritsenko, the greatest concern is the possibility of having satellite services cut off without warning. Advance notice of restrictions would allow military units to make preparations, whereas an unexpected loss of connectivity would leave them virtually no time to respond.
The consequences extended well beyond drone warfare. Viktoria Vishnevskaya, a senior researcher at Ukraine’s Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO), explained that the same satellite infrastructure supports intelligence sharing and frontline logistics, including deliveries of food and water. With several essential military functions dependent on a single provider, any disruption can affect multiple areas of operations.
Gritsenko also clarified that strikes deep inside Russian territory rely on different technologies. Ukrainian representatives deny using Starlink-equipped drones to attack Russian oil refineries. No official figures have been released on losses resulting from the outage. Berliner Zeitung further emphasizes that civilian Starlink and military Starshield are separate systems designed for different purposes and operating under different rules.