Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv faces tough winter amid continued Starlink restrictions, depleting Patriot missile stocks

In a war that has stretched well beyond four years, Ukraine is struggling to sustain its air defences against Russian attacks. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday (local time) that speed restrictions on Starshield, the military version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service, continued to hamper Ukraine’s interception of Russian drones. His remarks came days after he first raised concerns about the restrictions.

The disruption comes as Ukraine faces another critical air defence shortage. According to CNN, Kyiv has run out of missiles for its US-made Patriot air defence systems, leaving it more vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile attacks.

Starlink restrictions continue, says Zelenskyy

Elaborating on the restrictions on Saturday, Zelenskyy said in an online group chat with reporters at the EU Summit, "Unfortunately, we can't use Starlink or Starshield technology on our territory today to shoot down jet-powered Shaheds." He added, "They fly, and we can stop them with aircraft and other air defense, but we don't use Starlink for that, unfortunately. God willing, this will be restored."

The Ukrainian President noted that Kyiv was in discussions with US officials, who attributed the restrictions to technical issues. He further noted that Starlink appeared to be operating at higher speeds on European Union territory, CBS News reported. He said, "Yes, we are in dialogue at the level of the military, the Ministry of Defense and diplomats, in touch with everyone, including SpaceX. Nobody there is answering our military or the Ministry of Defense now," and added, "At various levels they say these are technical problems."

He said that in Ukraine, Starlink works at speeds of up to 161 km/h before shutting off. In contrast, he added, it operates continuously at speeds exceeding 180 km/h in the European Union.

On Saturday (local time), Zelenskyy noted that Moscow had carried out a large attack on Ukraine’s energy sector, targeting over 15 critical power generation and transmission facilities across the country.

US denies responsibility for satellite restrictions

Following Zelenskyy’s remarks about the speed restrictions, SpaceX owner Elon Musk denied responsibility, saying that "Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS."

US President Donald Trump said, "Well, I don't know if it was anybody because it wasn't me, and I don't think it was Elon." Separately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied claims that the US government had any role in the outage. Rubio further claimed that the Ukrainian military had never had access to Starshield and had only been using Starlink.

Kyiv runs out of Patriot missiles

Beyond the restrictions affecting its drone interceptors, Ukraine is also facing a shortage of missiles needed to counter Russian ballistic attacks.

According to reports, the Ukrainian President has repeatedly warned for months that the country is running out of Patriot interceptor missiles, which are among the few defensive weapons capable of shooting down ballistic missiles. The high cost of interceptor missiles and limited global supplies have compounded the shortage, with other countries either depleting their reserves or building up their air defences amid the war in Iran.

A source told CNN that “almost all the ballistic missiles from the last strike were not intercepted due to lack of the (interceptor) missiles.”

These setbacks come amid growing tensions between Zelenskyy and the US President over Washington’s approach to Russia and its support for Ukraine. Earlier this month, the US President launched a scathing attack on Zelenskyy, accusing him of attacking Russia’s energy infrastructure and wanting a peace deal without making any effort to secure one. He also urged Ukrainians to appoint a new President.

The Trump administration also warned Ukraine and its European allies that Washington was likely to suspend European purchases of US weapons for Kyiv and intelligence sharing with Ukraine unless Kyiv halted strikes on Russia’s energy facilities.

With Kyiv running out of Patriot interceptors, facing limited access to Starlink and Starshield, and navigating strained ties with Trump, it remains to be seen how the country’s future will unfold.

About the Author

Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.