The key facts
- The European Commission urged SpaceX to urgently restore full Starlink services in Ukraine
- According to media reports, the restrictions were introduced on October 14 and affected communications and drones
- Disruptions were reported when terminals moved faster than 160 km/h
The European Commission's call to SpaceX
The European Commission on Wednesday urged SpaceX to urgently restore full access to Starlink services in Ukraine. Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier at a briefing called reports of reduced service quality 'deeply concerning' and inconsistent with the company's previous involvement in providing them. According to him, Ukraine needs this critical connectivity to maintain contact with soldiers, protect citizens, and operate drones necessary for defending its territory.
Reports of restrictions
According to several media outlets, SpaceX introduced restrictions on certain Starlink services in Ukraine on October 14, disrupting the operation of military drones and communications. Ukrainian officials said the restrictions affected drone missions: communications, according to reports, were interrupted when terminals exceeded a speed of 160 km/h.
Conclusions for European security
Regnier also noted that the war in Ukraine has demonstrated the importance of space capabilities for Europe's security, emphasizing that the bloc needs to strengthen its own capabilities in this area.
