When Starshield Cut Out, Ukrainian Drones Fell From the Skies

Restrictions imposed on SpaceX's military-grade Starshield satellite communications service disrupted Ukrainian drone missions in October 2026, with some operators reporting lost aircraft and interrupted video links. A new speed threshold around 160 kilometres per hour, or 100 miles per hour, reportedly caused terminals on faster-moving unmanned aircraft to lose connectivity, although units experienced varying effects. Ukrainian officials sought restoration of the service and clarification of the restrictions, while public accounts differed on who authorised them. The episode involved limitations on communications access rather than a demonstrated failure of all Starlink satellites or a universal shutdown across Ukraine.