Sudden restrictions on Starshield — SpaceX’s military-grade version of the Starlink satellite internet service and the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations and communication — alarmed the country’s military and government officials this week, with commanders reporting lost drones and disrupted missions.

The episode raised fresh questions about Ukraine’s reliance on the Starshield program and who actually controls access to it.

By Thursday, some Ukrainian units said their connectivity had returned to normal, though uncertainty remained over what had caused the restrictions.

The episode added to tensions between Kyiv and Washington, a relationship already strained by President Donald Trump’s reported deal with Moscow on Russian diesel imports, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal.

“The Starshield shutdown was short, lasted only one day, but several drones and other systems were affected. Some missions failed, and we lost drones because communications were cut off,” said Yevhen Karas, the commander of Ukraine’s 413th Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment, known as Raid, which specializes in tactical and deep-strike drone operations.

Here’s what to know about the SpaceX satellite services that have become critical to Ukraine’s war effort.

Starshield is SpaceX’s satellite program for governments and the military. Built on Starlink technology, it is designed for national security missions and includes secure communications, Earth observation and satellites equipped with specialized sensors. It also incorporates additional encryption and security measures for sensitive government operations.

The Starlink system uses thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit to provide broadband connectivity to terminals on the ground, including in areas where conventional internet infrastructure is unavailable or damaged.

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