Zelensky says limits on Starshield connectivity are disrupting Ukrainian drone operations.
Ukraine’s president says speed limits affect drone operations over Russian-occupied territory, while SpaceX denies throttling connectivity.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Starshield restrictions disrupted Ukrainian military operations along the front lines this week. SpaceX, which developed the satellite internet system, has denied throttling Ukraine’s connectivity.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Zelensky said connected Ukrainian devices faced speed limits of about 100 miles per hour. He said the limits began on Monday and applied over Russian-occupied territory, rather than across Ukraine.
Ukraine uses the US government-controlled system to guide drones. However, Zelensky said the latest limits hampered its ability to strike Russian troops in occupied areas.
His account would mark the second episode of restricted connectivity in recent weeks. During the previous restrictions, Ukrainian drones lost their connections when flying above certain speeds.
Starshield restrictions raise military and political concerns
Zelensky also warned that applying limits specifically over occupied territory carried political consequences. He argued that such restrictions amounted to partially recognising those areas as outside Ukraine.
Separately, in his nightly address, the president said the limits hurt Ukraine’s use of newly developed interceptor drones. Ukraine uses those interceptors to defend its cities against Russia’s jet-powered drones.
However, the reported geographical scope means the limits would likely spare interceptors operating in Kyiv. The capital faces attacks from jet-powered drones but lies far from the front lines.
SpaceX had earlier rejected Ukraine’s claim that it had throttled connectivity. Neither the company nor Elon Musk responded to requests for comment on Friday evening.
