Ukraine’s Starshield access is being restricted again, Zelensky says limits affect occupied areas

Limits reported over occupied areas

Zelensky said Ukrainian devices connected to Starshield faced speed limits of about 100 miles per hour. He described the restrictions as taking effect Monday and applying over Russian-occupied territories, rather than across Ukraine.

The system, developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and controlled by the U.S. government, supports Ukraine’s drone operations. Zelensky said the new limits disrupted military activity along the front lines this week. He said it was the second time in recent weeks that Ukraine’s Starshield access had been throttled. Earlier restrictions had caused Ukrainian drones to lose their connection when they flew above certain speeds, according to the report.

Political concerns over restrictions

Zelensky said restrictions in occupied territories could have political consequences. He argued that imposing limits there could be seen as partly recognizing those areas as no longer belonging to Ukraine. He called the move “very dangerous,” and said it had political implications, according to his remarks to reporters.

Interceptors and SpaceX response

In his nightly speech, Zelensky said Starshield limits also harmed Ukraine’s ability to use newly developed interceptors against Russian jet-powered drones. The report said the restrictions were unlikely to affect interceptors in Kyiv, which is far from the front lines.