Zelenskiy says Starshield speed limited again, hampering Ukraine's defences
- On Thursday, November 12, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Starshield speed restrictions have returned, limiting connectivity on equipment moving faster than 161 kilometers per hour.
- Connectivity disruptions have returned just three weeks after Kyiv announced stable connections exceeding 400 km/h had been restored, with the Ukrainian military concluding these are systematic restrictions rather than random errors.
- These restrictions critically hinder efforts to intercept Russian jet-powered drones, which typically fly at 300–400 kilometers per hour; Zelenskyy warned that interception systems cannot reach sufficient speeds, allowing some strikes to bypass defenses.
- SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stated that decisions regarding Starshield speed limits are made by the US military and ultimately the US president, writing that "Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government."
- Amid difficult US-mediated peace negotiations, Ukraine is exploring sovereign satellite capabilities with Finnish companies ICEYE and Nokia, though the country remains heavily dependent on the US-controlled network for critical military communications.
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Zelenskyy again highlighted the restrictions on the United States' Starshield satellite service, which he said were hampering Ukraine's military operations.
Internet connections via US satellites help Ukrainian drones to attack targets in the Russian occupied territories. Apparently, the service is once again limited – according to President Wolodymyr Selenskyj a "very bad signal".
"Unfortunately, speed limits are still in effect along the entire front line and in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. I expect the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss this matter with all relevant institutions in the United States," he said. Kyiv is not giving up on the occupied territories. Zelensky emphasized that the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine still belongs to it. "The speed limits th…
According to Kiev, the Starshield terminals, a military version of SpaceX's Starlink civil network, are currently no longer broadcasting beyond a displacement speed of 160 kilometres per hour, as had already been observed in October. "This makes it impossible, in particular, to use interceptors against the reaction Shahed," said Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry is expecting an explanation from SpaceX and the Pentagon after speed restrictions were detected in the operation of the Starlink satellite system over occupied territories, RBK Ukraine reported.
Kreiszeitung
Ukraine is reporting new restrictions on Starshield, which, according to President Selenskyy, make it difficult to intercept Russian drones.
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