🔴Follow live: 'Ukraine is dependent on Starlink', Zelensky says in Brussels

Starlink is a satellite internet service operated through satellites orbiting Earth. It connects terminals on the ground to the internet without relying entirely on local cables, towers, or fiber networks. That makes it valuable during war, when communications infrastructure can be damaged or deliberately attacked.

In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Starlink helps troops send logistics through drones and intercept jet-powered Shahed drones. A stable data link can help units share information, coordinate movements, and direct unmanned systems. The article also says Ukraine is not using Starlink for deep strikes on Russian territory.

The service has become important enough that Zelensky said Ukraine remains dependent on it and that access has not been completely restored. He also said, “We are not talking about alternatives to Starlink.” Any interruption could therefore affect military coordination during a period of intense Russian attacks on infrastructure.

Ukraine uses Starlink for battlefield communications linked to drones and frontline support. The service helps units move information when fighting is active and conventional communications may be unreliable. Its value comes from keeping distant forces connected to command, supplies, and unmanned systems.

Zelensky said Ukraine uses Starlink to send logistics via drones to frontline troops. He also said Ukrainian forces use it to intercept jet-powered Shahed drones. These tasks require data to move between operators, drones, and military units quickly enough for coordination. The article does not detail the exact interception technology.

The stated use is defensive and operational rather than a platform for deep attacks. Zelensky specifically said Ukraine is not using Starlink for deep strikes on Russian territory. He also said access had not been completely restored, showing that these military tasks may face continuing communications uncertainty.

Ukraine’s military dependence on Starlink is significant enough for Zelensky to state it publicly at an EU leaders summit. The article links the service to drone logistics and interception of jet-powered Russian drones. It does not provide a percentage of military communications carried by Starlink, so the precise scale of dependence cannot be measured from the report.

The civilian crisis is broader than internet access. Russian strikes on energy infrastructure caused emergency power outages for hundreds of thousands of households across nine Ukrainian regions. The attacks threaten heating and running water as winter approaches. The United Nations warned that millions who had returned home could be displaced again.

The IOM estimates that nearly 3.6 million people remain internally displaced. Around 3.8 million have returned to homes that are often damaged. The article therefore presents two connected vulnerabilities: military communications may be disrupted, while energy attacks make civilian life increasingly difficult.

If Starlink access or other communications systems fail, Ukrainian troops could lose a dependable channel for coordinating operations. The article connects Starlink with logistics delivered by drones and with efforts to intercept jet-powered Shahed drones. A communications break could therefore make those activities slower, less coordinated, or harder to sustain.

The risks are not limited to soldiers. Russia’s attacks on civilian energy infrastructure have already caused emergency outages for hundreds of thousands of households. Ukrainian officials say the bombardment aims to deny civilians heating and running water. Communications failures could make it harder for families and authorities to organize assistance during such outages.

The article does not quantify the military effect of a total Starlink loss. It does show that access was not completely restored and that Zelensky said Ukraine had no alternative under discussion. Meanwhile, winter is approaching, and the UN says millions could be displaced again as conditions deteriorate.

Starlink’s importance comes from the gap between Ukraine’s military needs and the damage caused by war. Ukraine is fighting on its own territory while Russian attacks repeatedly hit civilian energy infrastructure. When ground-based systems are damaged or lose power, a satellite network can provide another route for communications.

The article says Zelensky considers Ukraine dependent on Starlink for intercepting jet-powered Russian drones. He also links the service to sending logistics via drones to frontline troops. Those tasks span large distances and require forces to exchange information. Starlink is therefore not merely a convenience; it supports specific battlefield activities identified by Ukraine’s president.

The US-operated network also creates strategic dependence on a service outside Ukraine’s direct control. Zelensky said access had not been completely restored and that Ukraine was not discussing alternatives. The article does not explain the reasons for the disruption, but it shows why control of communications can matter as much as control of equipment.

The article does not identify a confirmed substitute for Starlink. Zelensky said, “We are not talking about alternatives to Starlink,” while also saying access had not been completely restored. That means the report describes dependence, but not a replacement plan or a named backup network.

As a matter of established communications practice, a country could use several layers instead of one service. These might include other satellite providers, military radio, repaired fiber and cellular networks, microwave links, and locally operated communications systems. Drones and units could also use systems designed for shorter-range battlefield connections. These are possible categories, not alternatives identified in this article.

Each option would face different limits. Satellite services may have coverage, equipment, or access constraints. Ground networks can be damaged by strikes or lose electricity. Radios may carry less data or work over shorter distances. Ukraine’s current position, according to Zelensky, is that Starlink remains central and alternatives are not being discussed.

Satellite communications work by sending radio signals from a ground terminal to a satellite, which relays them to another terminal or a connected network. A constellation can provide coverage across wide areas. Because the signal travels through space, the system does not need every connection to pass through local cables or telephone towers.

That design can help during war. If a nearby fiber line, cellular tower, or power substation is damaged, a functioning satellite terminal may still connect users. In Ukraine, the article says Starlink supports drone logistics and interception of jet-powered Shahed drones. Those uses depend on passing information between operators, drones, and frontline units.

Satellite internet is not invulnerable. It requires terminals, electricity, network access, and usable links. The article reports that Ukraine’s access was not completely restored, but does not explain the cause. Its wider warning is clear: Russian attacks on energy infrastructure are causing outages and threatening heating and running water before winter.