Ukrainian troops have found themselves blindsided by unexpected restrictions on Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet systems, which disrupted frontline operations. Meanwhile, no warning was given to Kyiv of a Russian missile attack on its energy facilities for the second day running, according to Ukrainian officials.

Starlink terminals used by Ukrainian drone units experienced signal failures at speeds above 160 km/h, disrupting several missions early on Wednesday morning. The limitations were imposed with no warning, just at night, said a senior official. The limitations affected logistics at the frontline and middle strikes, targeting Russian military supply lines and logistics.

Ukraine’s ability to defend against Russia’s new jet-powered drones was also impacted, as Starlink is used in interceptors being developed for this purpose. Ukraine’s defense ministry adviser Serhii Beskrestnov stated that the action was not coincidental and was linked to the current political situation.

Ukraine faces escalating Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure and mounting pressure from US President Donald Trump. Trump has stepped up pressure on Ukraine to stop its drone strikes on Russian oil refineries and threatened to cut off vital intelligence sharing. This comes as global diesel prices, which Trump blames Ukraine for, have risen, although analysts say the real cause is the US war with Iran.

The lack of advance warning about Russian missile strikes, alongside the unexpected restrictions on Starlink terminals, has heightened concerns in Kyiv about the reliability of US support, considering Trump's threats.