Ukraine's Starshield access still limited despite Trump's claim, officials say

Ukraine's access to Starshield, SpaceX's military-grade satellite service, remains restricted, according to Ukrainian and European officials, contradicting US President Donald Trump's claim that it has been restored at full speed.

The dispute has become a war of words between the Trump administration, officials in Kyiv and SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk over who is responsible for limiting a service Ukraine relies on for long-range drone strikes and air defence.

Conflicting accounts

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump asked Musk to restore the service, after which the president told reporters the system was "back" and running at full speed. He initially denied responsibility, saying: "I don't know if it was anybody, but it wasn't me, and I don't think it was Elon." He would not say whether he had spoken to Musk, but suggested the ultimate power lay with the SpaceX CEO: "I guess the bottom line, he put it back."

Secretary of state Marco Rubio said no one in the US government had requested changes, adding: "The president has nothing to do with the decisions that are made by Starlink and Starshield and by Mr Musk. That's a private company. The president doesn't run that company and can't direct that company to do anything."

Musk said in a post on X that the systems were "owned and controlled by the US government", adding that any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately the president. The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk gave the order to slow Starshield, with its sources divided over whether this was done in concert with Trump.

Vice-president JD Vance backed Musk, saying the billionaire "doesn't want to get in the middle of what is a war between two state actors without the United States government effectively directing him on what to do". He added: "So I don't think this is about Elon. I think it's fundamentally what is America's policy in Ukraine and Russia going to be."

Impact on Ukrainian operations

Ukrainian officials say the restrictions have rendered many of the drones Kyiv uses to strike behind the frontlines inoperable and hampered the air defence systems that stop Russian attacks. A Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent the service was still capped at 161km/hr, crippling key air defences and limiting mid-range strikes. "Overall, nothing has changed anywhere," the official was quoted as saying. A European official told the Associated Press the service was not fully functioning.

Attacks continue

Ukraine says Russia targeted energy sites in six regions, leaving more than 500,000 people without power. Russia's defence ministry confirmed strikes on the port of Vilkovo in Odesa, a railcar depot in Poltava and a cargo vessel in the Black Sea. Local authorities reported overnight explosions in Lutsk, near the Polish border, and in the Poltava and Sumy regions.

Both sides carried out heavy strikes a day earlier, with Russia bombarding Kyiv with ballistic missiles and Ukraine sending swarms of drones towards Moscow. Civilian casualties in Ukraine have surged.

Elsewhere in Europe

Austria's foreign ministry said it was expelling four more Russian diplomats over "activities incompatible with their diplomatic status", a phrase usually taken to mean espionage. Three worked at the Russian embassy and one at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in arms control, according to Die Presse. Austria has now expelled 18 Russian diplomats since 2020.

Student-led protests over school resources, housing and the cost of living continued in cities including Rome, Athens, Madrid and Paris, often joined by teachers. French authorities have banned some protests amid fears of violence and looting, and President Emmanuel Macron is due to meet student leaders in Paris.

Source: The Guardian World.