Restrictions expose Ukraine's Starlink dependency in Russia war

To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Cover image: © France 24 01:56 Issued on: 15/10/2026 - 11:55 Restrictions reported by Ukraine on its use of the US satellite internet system Starlink have exposed Kyiv's reliance on the technology for both offensive and defensive operations in its fight against Russia'a invasion, analysts and observers say. A senior Ukrainian official, who asked not to be named, told AFP on Wednesday that Starlink data communication speeds had been "throttled". The change has come at a time of renewed tension between Kyiv and Washington, with US President Donald Trump seeking to bring down global fuel prices by buying Russian diesel and pressuring both sides to stop attacking energy infrastructure.