Zelenskiy says Starshield speed limited again, hampering Ukraine's defences
Ukraine says the restrictions are hindering interceptor drones and letting some Russian strikes get through, as officials seek clarification 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.
237 Articles
237 Articles
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.
Starshield keeps slapping a 100 mph speed limit on Ukraine's interceptor drones
Ukraine's Starshield service has again developed the same oddly specific problem it had last month: move faster than 100 mph and the connection drops. President Zelenskyy says the military has ruled out random technical failures; this is a service-level restriction imposed by the provider. — Read the rest
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