Zelenskiy says Starshield speed limited again, hampering Ukraine's defences
Zelenskyy said the limits cut terminal speeds to 161 km/h and have already let some Russian strikes get through, as Ukraine seeks answers from the United States.
- 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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Kreiszeitung
Ukraine is reporting new restrictions on Starshield, which, according to President Selenskyy, make it difficult to intercept Russian drones.
Ukraine says its Starlink problems are back, and doesn't know why
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pictured here in Copenhagen, said his country's forces are once again reporting failures in Starshield.Emil Helms / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP via Getty ImagesUkraine says it's being hit with a slowdown in its military version of Starlink — again.Zelenskyy said his staff are asking the US what happened, but so far "know very little."SpaceX denied that the service has been affected over Ukraine.Ukraine's Starlin…
Zelensky Complains About Starshield "Disruptions" (Again)
Zelensky said that units on the front lines had reported several days of disruptions and in Russian-occupied territory. He also noted that operating speed limits in excess of 100 mph were preventing interception drones from reaching the speeds needed to engage Russian jet-powered one-way attack drones. And this is key. Zelensky claimed, "These are not random errors but systematic speed restrictions," adding, "For us, this primarily means a sign…
In Ukraine, the military is currently unable to make full use of the Starshield military Internet service.
Putin Is the Only Winner: Elon Musk’s Starshield Is Slowing Ukraine’s Interceptor Drones as Russia Fires Faster Ones
Ukraine says speed limits have been reimposed on Starshield, the SpaceX satellite service its military relies on, slowing the interceptor drones it uses against Russia’s jet-powered drones. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the limits are helping Russia “kill more Ukrainians.” Kyiv wants answers from Washington, but it is still unclear who ordered the restrictions.
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