Politics

Military Starlink service regains speed in Ukraine after Trump-Musk call

The military satellite communications system Starshield resumed operating at higher speeds in Ukraine on Thursday, according to Sky News Arabia. The improvement followed a phone call between US President Donald Trump and SpaceX chief Elon Musk. Trump said Musk had restored Ukraine's access to the military version of the service, as reported by CNN Arabic and RT Arabic.

سكاي نيوز عربيةThursday, October 22, 2026, 23:27Covered by 3 sources

Illustrative photo: Large white satellite communications dish on a concrete base under a teal sky. Photo by Bernd 📷 Dittrich on Unsplash

Why it matters

Ukraine relies on satellite connectivity for its operations, so any change in the speed or availability of the service directly affects the front line. The story also shows the role a private company plays in a sensitive security matter tied to the war.

Background

Starlink is a satellite internet service operated by SpaceX. Starshield is the version of the service designed for military use, as the coverage describes it.

How outlets covered it

Sky News Arabia focused on the operational side, reporting that the system returned to service in Ukraine at higher speeds after a call between Trump and Musk. CNN Arabic and RT Arabic centered on Trump's own statement, quoting him as saying Musk restored Ukraine's access to the military service. The excerpts provided from those two outlets do not mention the call. The naming also differed: CNN described a military version of Starlink, while RT and Sky News Arabia used the name Starshield. The material contains no conflicting figures among the three outlets.