Starlink terminals operations restricted in Ukraine overnight, adviser to Zelenskyy says
Ukrainian officials report that SpaceX has restricted the speed at which Starlink terminals can operate, disrupting drone missions. While some suggest this may be political pressure from the Trump administration, the exact cause remains unconfirmed.
Why it matters
It highlights the geopolitical influence of private technology companies in modern warfare and the vulnerability of relying on commercial satellite infrastructure.
Ukrainian forces reported restrictions on the military use of SpaceX's Starlink satellite communications system on Wednesday, saying an overnight change disrupted several drone missions amid escalating tensions between Kyiv and Washington.The restrictions appear to affect StarShield, the military-grade version of the satellite communications service, with connectivity reportedly cut when terminals move at speeds exceeding approximately 160 kilometres per hour.Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on military technology, known as "Flash", said SpaceX had introduced the speed limit overnight without notifying Ukrainian forces."Our defence forces did not receive a warning about this limitation and this led to the disruption of several missions," Beskrestnov wrote on Telegram.Ukrainian volunteer Serhiy Sternenko also reported the disruption, suggesting that SpaceX might have introduced the restrictions at the request of US President Donald Trump's administration.There is, however, no independent evidence that the White House ordered the change, and the reason for the reported…
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