Russia launches airstrikes on Ukraine after disputed White House Starshield report

On Friday, 16 October 2026, Russian forces carried out coordinated airstrikes in nine of Ukraine’s 27 regions, targeting power facilities, a shopping mall in Rivne and other civilian infrastructure.

The Ukrainian defence ministry said the strikes killed two people and injured 17 in Kharkiv, while a total of at least 15 people were wounded across the affected regions. Energy outages were reported in four regions as a result of the attacks on power infrastructure.

The offensive followed a week of heightened tension after a Reuters report claimed a White House official had requested speed limits on Ukraine’s Starshield satellite communications – a militarized off‑shoot of SpaceX’s Starlink system. The White House denied that any request came from the president, and President Donald Trump later dismissed allegations that he ordered any restrictions.

Both President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the other side of breaching the energy‑infrastructure ceasefire that Trump announced on Sunday. Kyiv insisted that the temporary throttling of Starshield could have hampered its ability to coordinate air‑defence and drone operations, while Moscow framed the strikes as a response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil facilities, including a recent hit on Rosneft’s refinery in Ryazan.

After several hours of reduced data rates – reportedly below 100 mph – the Starshield terminals were restored to normal speeds. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk later clarified that his company was not responsible for any speed limitations, attributing the decision to the U.S. military and the president.

Ukrainian officials warned that any future constraints on Starshield could jeopardise civilian safety and military resilience, especially as the conflict continues to strain the nation’s energy grid.

The situation remains volatile, with both sides monitoring the ceasefire’s implementation and preparing for possible further escalations.