A Ukrainian official told Axios that Starlink and Starshield satellite services in Ukraine had been fully restored after being unexpectedly and abruptly restricted in recent days.

Given that these services are a critical tool in the fighting against Russia, Kyiv launched another attack on a Russian oil refinery overnight, defying Donald Trump’s request that it stop strikes on such facilities.

Meanwhile, it emerged that the refinery struck by Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday was located in Ryazan. Explosions and fires were also reported at a military airfield in the Voronezh region.

Ryazan regional governor Pavel Malkov confirmed the fire at the refinery, as well as an attack on a warehouse and vehicles at another industrial facility in the city. No casualties were reported.

These developments are further straining relations between the United States and Ukraine as the war with Russia continues. Last week, the Trump administration lifted sanctions on Russian oil sales, effectively aligning itself with Vladimir Putin’s position. The move sparked a strong reaction from Kyiv, with Volodymyr Zelensky describing it as a “weak decision” and a “gift to Putin.” Trump responded by calling on Ukraine to elect a new president.

The Restriction of Satellite Services

The crisis escalated this week when SpaceX restricted access to Starlink, the satellite service used for defensive operations on the battlefield. At the same time, Starshield, a system used in offensive military operations and controlled by the US government, also experienced a slowdown.

After approximately two days, both services returned to full operation. At the same time, Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery despite pressure from Washington to halt such attacks.

The Ukrainian official explained to Axios that Kyiv resumed its strikes because Russia continued attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure, despite Trump’s announcement that the two sides had agreed to a ceasefire. However, neither Ukraine nor Russia has confirmed that such an agreement was reached.

It remains unclear to both members of the Trump administration and Ukrainian government officials whether the US president himself ordered the restriction of the satellite services.

On Wednesday evening, Elon Musk commented on the issue and disclaimed responsibility, saying that whatever was happening was a decision made by the US government.