Ukrainian soldiers report issues with Starlink: here's what we know.

An insider from the "Informant" within military circles reported complaints from several servicemen regarding a significant decrease in communication speed through Starlink terminals. This raises concerns, as stable communication is critically important for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Despite Poland already covering the costs of Starlink satellite communication services for Ukraine, the reason for its disconnection could very well be a dispute between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that occurred on February 28.

"The communication speed from Starlink has significantly dropped. This has been very noticeable over the last day or two. Whether this is related to the clash between Zelensky and Trump remains unknown, but the trend is unpleasant," says a source from the Informant.

Radio technology expert Sergey Beskrestnov (Flash) recently explained that the drop in speed may be caused by GPS signal spoofing. He recommends using the feature in the StarDebug app in such cases, which can help resolve the issue.

However, as the expert emphasizes, this option should only be applied after the Starlink terminal has determined its location and established a connection.

It is important to note that Starlink is not humanitarian aid; it is a commercial project funded, among others, by Poland and Germany. Sergey Dzherdzh, head of the Public League Ukraine-NATO and a senior lieutenant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, emphasized in a comment to Kyiv24 that Starlink terminals are used not only by the military but also by hospitals, schools, and civilian institutions near the front line.

Can the U.S. disconnect Starlink from Ukraine?

There have been various statements from Elon Musk regarding Starlink's operations in Ukraine, but since then, the Pentagon has taken control of the matter, and no one has the right to disconnect the service without their permission. Additionally, on February 22, Poland covered the costs of Starlink satellite communication services for Ukraine, which reduces the risk of disconnection. Poland's Minister of Digitalization Krzysztof Gawkowski stated that there are no grounds for concern regarding the termination of Starlink's operations in Ukraine.

Previously, Reuters reported that the U.S. might consider disconnecting Starlink for Ukraine if Kyiv does not sign an agreement regarding mineral resources. This information raised concerns among Ukrainian military personnel and volunteers. Volunteer Maria Berlinska urged preparations for a possible disconnection of Starlink at the front and to ensure alternative communication means (which are also available - ed.).

Recall that in September 2023, there was a massive outage in Starlink's operations coinciding with an attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Russian ships in occupied Sevastopol. This raised suspicions regarding Elon Musk's potential influence on Ukraine's military operations.

In light of recent events, including the dispute between President Zelensky and Donald Trump, concerns arise about the possible impact on Starlink's operations in Ukraine. While there is no official confirmation linking these events to the decrease in communication speed, the situation is alarming.