For Volodymyr Zelensky’s Ukraine, a US sanctions waiver on Russian oil and sudden restrictions on Starlink have raised fresh concerns about Washington’s support for Kyiv. As , the developments threaten to weaken drone operations, disrupt missile warnings and increase pressure on Zelensky to negotiate with Moscow.
Overnight, Russia struck three power plants supplying Kyiv, apparently seeking to disrupt heating and electricity as temperatures fall. Zelensky said Ukraine received no warning of incoming Russian ballistic missiles from its Western allies for a second consecutive night, leaving authorities without an air raid alert.
Russia has also struck two bridges in Kyiv, petrol stations, city-centre buildings and warehouses outside the capital. Casualties are rising, while faster, jet-powered Russian drones are increasingly challenging Ukraine’s stretched air defences.
Any disruption to intelligence or communications could further weaken Ukraine’s ability to defend its cities.
Ukraine’s military relies on internet service to operate reconnaissance and interceptor drones, gather intelligence and conduct long-range strikes against Russian targets.
Ukrainian officials said SpaceX imposed restrictions on Tuesday night, causing connections to switch off when drones exceeded speeds of 160 kph and, in some cases, 80 kph. Service was partially restored on Wednesday, but Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said a 160 kph ceiling remained in place.
That limit could prevent some Ukrainian interceptor drones from catching Russian jet-powered drones.
“The situation is better than it was this morning, but 160 kph is not enough for intercepting” some Russian drones, a Ukrainian official said.
The ministry said it remained in contact with partners and SpaceX to secure stable service and prevent sudden restrictions. Kyiv is seeking answers about why the curbs were imposed. A senior US official said the Trump administration was not responsible.
The came days after US President Donald Trump agreed to lift sanctions on Russian oil sales, triggering another dispute with Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president criticised the move, after which Trump called for Ukraine to elect a new president.
Ukrainian officials suspect the Starlink curbs may have been intended to pressure Kyiv into accepting Trump’s demand that it stop attacking Russian oil refineries. However, no conclusive evidence links the restrictions to that demand.
The developments have reinforced concerns that Washington could use its leverage over Ukraine’s military capabilities to push Zelensky towards a settlement with Russia on unfavourable terms.
The Starlink disruption followed reports that Ukraine had received no early warning of a Russian ballistic missile attack. Ukrainian officials said the US had provided such alerts for years as part of intelligence sharing between the two countries.
US officials attributed the gap to a technical malfunction, while some Ukrainian officials suspected political pressure from the Trump administration.
Trump said on Tuesday that intelligence sharing had not been suspended. Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte made similar comments on Wednesday.
Serhii Beskrestnov, a military technology adviser to Zelensky, cautioned against drawing premature conclusions, noting that Russian S-400 missile launches had gone undetected before.
Nevertheless, the absence of warnings for two consecutive days has heightened concern, particularly as the second incident coincided with the Starlink restrictions.
Ukraine has experienced a similar crisis before. In March 2025, Trump temporarily halted intelligence sharing following his contentious Oval Office meeting with Zelensky.
The suspension deprived Ukraine of valuable information about Russian positions and movements. Ukrainian forces subsequently lost a significant portion of the territory they had occupied in Russia’s Kursk region before intelligence sharing resumed.
A confirmed suspension now would represent another serious setback for Kyiv, which faces mounting pressure on the battlefield and worsening conditions at home.
Speaking at a meeting in London with , Zelensky acknowledged the difficulties Ukraine faced.
“We had massive [Russian] attacks today and it’s a pity that we also had difficulties … about Starlink and about intelligence and a lot of different surprises,” he said.
“We count on the partnership with the US but we just want to be very honest and very clear and be a strong partner,” he added.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski also challenged Elon Musk over the restrictions. “Hey, big man, are you playing politics with your products again? As your European customers, we are watching you,” he wrote on X.
Three developments will shape the implications for Kyiv: whether SpaceX removes the remaining speed restrictions, whether Ukraine continues to miss missile warnings, and whether Washington intensifies pressure over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries.
Until those questions are resolved, Ukraine faces a harder air defence campaign and greater uncertainty over the American support it has relied on throughout the war.
