Sun's Fury Is Making SpaceX Satellites Plummet From The Sky
"... slightly earlier than they otherwise would have."
If I understand correctly, this is like the "daylight savings causes heart attacks" phenomenon. Yes, the rate of heart attacks increases following the time change, but this period is followed by a equivalent decrease in the rate of heart attacks. Daylight savings isn't increasing the total number of heart attacks, just causing a few of them to occur earlier.
Likewise, the solar activity isn't taking out operational satellites, it's just accelerating reentry for those which were already in the process of deorbiting.
Still an interesting academic paper and findings, but the title of the news article is a bit misleading. I guess they thought Tracking Reentries of Starlink Satellites During the Rising Phase of Solar Cycle 25 wouldn't get enough clicks.