President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has detected renewed speed restrictions on the Starshield satellite service in occupied territories. According to the report, the system limits connectivity for military drones traveling at speeds exceeding 161 kilometers per hour.
SpaceX officially denied the allegations, stating that no changes have been made to the service. CEO Elon Musk previously noted that Starshield systems are controlled by the US government, and decisions regarding usage limits are determined by US military authorities.
Ukrainian officials suggested that the restrictions were reinstated to exert pressure during recent peace negotiations with Russia held in Abu Dhabi. These talks involved US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy emphasized that the speed limit hinders the interception of Russian jet-powered Shahed drones, as Ukrainian interceptors cannot maintain the necessary speed to engage them. The restrictions were previously reported a month ago but were removed by October 24.
The European Commission has called the reported disruptions unacceptable and urged SpaceX to maintain a consistent service approach. Meanwhile, the US administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stated they had no foreknowledge of the slowdown.
