Ukraine Warupdated 1h ago3 min read
Ukraine Says SpaceX Restricted Starlink Starshield, Disrupting Military Missions Amid Russian Attacks
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SpaceX imposed speed-based restrictions on Starshield, hindering drone operations. Ukrainian officials said they received no prior warning of the restrictions.
36 outlets told this the same way.
Starlink speed limits
Ukrainian authorities said SpaceX restricted some military internet services on Starlink, called Starshield, and the restrictions disrupted Ukrainian missions as Russian attacks continued. Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov said, “Our defense forces received no warning of this restriction, and this has led to the disruption of a number of missions,” while he added that “It is clear that this action cannot be a coincidence and is linked to the current political situation.” A Ukrainian military source told CNN that “the complications are substantial,” and the source said Ukraine was investigating connection issues in detail while “What will be affected is the front line and occupied territories.”
Ukrainian Defense Ministry sources told the BBC that “once a vehicle or device exceeds the specified speed, 160 kilometers per hour, the communications station loses its connection to the network,” and the BBC reported that the restrictions affected interceptor drones and mid-range strike drones. Zelensky said Russia’s attacks on energy infrastructure left more than 600,000 people without power, and CNN reported Russia launched more than 120 drones and 39 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and Kharkiv targeting energy facilities.
No early warning dispute
Serhiy Buskristenov, a technical adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said restrictions on operating Starlink internet stations prevented Ukraine from countering “Shahed-type drones that operate with jet engines,” and he wrote that partners deprived Ukraine of “one of the few means available to defend the country.” Zelensky said his government received “no early warning from our partners” before a deadly ballistic missile attack hit a major power plant in Kyiv and damaged a residential building, while Trump told reporters the US had not stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine. CNN said SpaceX CEO Musk criticized Zelensky on Saturday in a post on X, writing that “Zelensky has gone too far” when it comes to strikes on Russian fuel facilities.
SpaceX did not publicly comment on the speed-related restrictions, and a source in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry confirmed the restrictions to the BBC. CNN reported that Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense was in contact with the United States, SpaceX and NATO allies, and it said Ukraine was testing and implementing backup communication channels.
Front line stakes
Ukrainian officials said the Starlink limitations reduced military capabilities for front line logistics, communications and reconnaissance, and CNN reported the restrictions also affected operating planes and helicopters. Ukraine’s government requested SpaceX give a reason for the change and identify a way to restore service capabilities available under previous arrangements contracted through the US government until mid-May 2027, while Kyiv had not received a response from SpaceX yet. The BBC said the restrictions made drone operations harder, “specifically interceptor drones and mid-range strike drones,” and it said the limits also weakened “capacities in logistics, reconnaissance, and signal rebroadcast along the front lines.”
CNN reported that Russian attacks left more than 600,000 people without power early Wednesday, and it said Russia launched more than 120 drones and 39 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and Kharkiv, causing widespread power outages and “significant damage” to oil and gas facilities. Zelensky said Russia’s attacks hit energy infrastructure “vital” to power in Kyiv and the surrounding region and in Kharkiv, and the BBC reported local officials said three people were killed in Kyiv.