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ConflictsUkraine

Did someone order Ukraine's high-speed Starlink shutdown?

15:34

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David Levitz
October 15, 2026

Ukrainian forces report Starshield outages and speed restrictions that disrupted drone operations. Why did terminals lose connectivity when traveling at high speeds? And who is responsible?

Ukraine says Starshield, the government and military version of Starlink, experienced connectivity problems and speed restrictions that disrupted several drone missions. Ukrainian officials say terminals lost connection when moving faster than 100 miles per hour (160 kph). In this analysis, DW's David Levitz speaks with former US Air Force Major Glenn Ignazio and Russia-Ukraine expert Stephen J. Blank about the timing of the disruption, its possible causes and who may be responsible. The discussion examines the implications for battlefield communications and military drone operations in the war in Ukraine.

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