Ukrainian frontline forces are concerned about the slowdown of Starlink services, which they say has unexpectedly limited military platforms. One experienced Ukrainian officer stated, "These limitations are equivalent to a nuclear attack against us. All operations have stopped, and this puts many of our lives at risk."
Consequences of Starlink Limitations
This officer, who commands a medium-range drone attack unit in southeastern Ukraine, emphasized that this unit heavily relies on Starlink services for operations and navigation of American-made drones. He said, "Since last night, all Starlink and Starshield terminals used by our forces have been subject to a speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour."
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Ukrainian forces claim that these limitations have halted some medium-range drone attack operations and have harmed attacks on Russian logistics. This means reduced support for Ukrainian frontline forces.
Impact on Military Operations
According to this officer, these limitations have completely halted all medium-range attack operations. Operations that rely on mesh-based systems, for example, require a drone equipped with Starlink to receive signals and transmit them to other drones connected through the mesh network. This allows attacks to be carried out on targets deep within Russian-controlled territory.
These targets include strategic areas such as the Donetsk region, the Novorossiya highway connecting Russia to Crimea, as well as the Crimean Peninsula itself and the Kerch region. The officer also stated, "We can no longer effectively support our infantry forces on the battlefield and are unable to target heavy artillery systems, ammunition depots, and command centers."
Irina Terekh, CEO of the Ukrainian missile manufacturer Fire Point, said, "The Ukrainian frontline heavily relies on medium-range drones that use Starlink." In recent months, these drones have inflicted significant damage on Russian logistics in frontline areas.
This officer expressed concern that Starlink limitations could give Russian forces a critical opportunity to strengthen their positions. He said, "From today, the enemy will reinforce their logistics routes to Crimea to bolster their forces there."
Two other Ukrainian soldiers working with ground robots and first-person view drones confirmed that Starlink services for Ukrainian units were suddenly restricted on Wednesday. One official from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense stated, "On the night of October 14, without prior notice to the defense forces, SpaceX unilaterally limited the operations of Starshield terminals in motion."
This official added that these issues occur at varying speeds from 72 kilometers per hour to 161 kilometers per hour, depending on the specific vehicle and unit. This slowdown comes as former U.S. President Donald Trump is putting significant pressure on Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian refineries.
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