Zelensky says Starshield speed limits are helping Russia strike Ukraine
Kyiv says the limits make it harder to intercept Russian jet-powered drones, while Washington and Elon Musk's SpaceX have not confirmed what caused them.
Key points
- Zelensky says Ukraine's military faces new systematic speed limits on Starshield satellite internet
- Starshield systems reportedly do not work above 100 mph (161 km/h)
- Zelensky says the limits make it harder to intercept faster Russian drones
- US envoys are meeting Vladimir Putin in Moscow as peace efforts continue
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that his country’s military has faced new “systematic” restrictions on Starshield, according to France 24, citing AFP. Starshield is a satellite internet service run by SpaceX, the company led by Elon Musk. It is used for communications on the front line.
Zelensky wrote on social media that Ukrainian units had recorded major disruptions to Starshield over Ukrainian territory for several days. He said the speed limits were deliberate rather than technical faults. In his words, the problems were helping Russian forces carry out more precise strikes and kill more Ukrainians.
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According to Zelensky, Starshield systems were not working at speeds above 100 miles per hour, or about 161 kilometres per hour. He said this ceiling made it a serious problem to intercept Russian jet-powered drones, which travel far faster than that limit.
Earlier disruptions and the dispute
Ukraine first reported problems with Starshield last month. The issues came after a dispute between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump over a diesel deal between the United States and Russia.
Trump and Musk both denied responsibility for the earlier outages. Musk later accused Ukraine of misusing SpaceX’s Starlink service for military purposes. Starshield is the military-grade version of Starlink. All sides later said full access had been restored, but the new restrictions have now raised fresh concerns in Kyiv.
Peace talks continue
The reported restrictions come as US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner meet Putin in Moscow. They follow two days of talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at finding a deal to end the war, which has lasted almost five years.
Zelensky said Ukraine is trying to establish the full facts with the American side. At the time of reporting, the cause of the latest speed limits had not been confirmed by the sources, and it was not clear who had imposed them.
Why it matters
Satellite communications have become central to military operations on both sides of the conflict. Any interruption to a network used at the front line can affect how quickly units can respond to incoming threats. The dispute also links the communications issue to wider US-Ukraine relations and to the search for a ceasefire.
Further details from the US side or from SpaceX had not been reported in the source material. Readers should treat Zelensky’s account as his own assessment until independent confirmation is available.
Frequently asked questions
What is Starshield?
Starshield is the military-grade version of SpaceXu0026#039;s Starlink satellite internet service. It plays a key role in frontline communications for Ukraineu0026#039;s military.
Why does Zelensky say the speed limits matter?
Zelensky says Starshield systems cannot work above 100 miles per hour. He argues this makes it difficult to intercept Russian jet-powered drones, which move much faster.
Who are the US envoys meeting Putin?
According to the report, US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The meeting follows two days of talks in Abu Dhabi.
Sources
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