Starlink restrictions persist for Ukraine despite Trump's claim Musk lifted limits

Ukrainian military drone operators still face speed restrictions and connection interruptions on SpaceX's Starshield service as of Friday morning, despite U.S. President Donald Trump saying Elon Musk had lifted limits. Ukrainian officials report speed caps of 140–160 km/h remain, with navigation issues persisting. Tests from Thursday evening showed some improvement, with drones reaching up to 200 km/h over the Black Sea, but connections dropped rapidly above 160 km/h. A drone pilot noted service works better but with constant interruptions, hindering interceptors against Russian Shahed drones. Musk said the U.S. government controls Starshield, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration cannot direct SpaceX as a private company. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the restriction a planned operation, and the Wall Street Journal reported Trump asked Musk to lift limits.