The Ukrainian army is still experiencing problems with Starlink, the American satellite network that is essential for Ukraine's defense of its own airspace. In talks with journalists, President Zelensky says that the speed at which Ukrainian drones can fly is still limited.
According to him, Kyiv is in contact with American officials about this. They reportedly speak of "technical problems," although Zelensky adds that the Starlink network has also been tested by Ukraine in other parts of Europe. There, no disruptions have been observed.
Earlier this week, Ukraine also experienced problems with the military branch of Starlink. On Wednesday, Ukrainian drones could not fly faster than about 160 kilometers per hour due to a suddenly imposed speed limit, while a much higher speed is needed for air defense. Although it was reported a day later that the connection was operational again, it appears this is not the case.
On Friday, news agency Reuters reported that the U.S. Department of Defense had been ordered by the White House to impose restrictions on Ukraine. The Pentagon is the largest customer of Starshield, the military version of the Starlink service. Zelensky already called this "a planned operation."
Sanctions package against Russia
Zelensky also addressed the extensive sanctions package against Russia that American President Trump canceled by decree. Zelensky called this regrettable and urged his allies to publicly speak out against the action of the American president. He said he hopes this will prompt Trump to implement the sanctions later after all.
Zelensky also said in audio clips he sent to journalists that he fears Trump's action will encourage the Russians to carry out more air attacks. Especially with winter approaching, this could lead to major problems for the Ukrainian civilian population. On X, the Ukrainian president wrote that Russia attacked more than fifteen crucial power plants and transport facilities in various parts of Ukraine last night.
According to him, it was one of Russia's largest attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector to date. In the Ukrainian city of Sloviansk, three people died in the attacks, according to local authorities. In the Ukrainian city of Kherson, a bus driver was killed. In addition, dozens of people were injured.
"Nevertheless, we sincerely hope that the President of America will do everything to make Putin stop the killing," Zelensky said in the conversation with journalists, writes news agency AP.
According to Russian authorities, a woman died last night due to Ukrainian attacks.
70 billion extra
Yesterday, Zelensky was at the EU summit in Brussels. There he requested 70 billion euros in additional support from European allies. "For defense, for weapons, and for our resilience."