Kyiv: Ukraine states that Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, has imposed speed limits on Starlink terminals without warning, stalling several missions on the battlefield.
An advisor to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has linked this move to the “current political situation.”
Serhii Beskrestnov, Zelenskyy’s defense technology advisor, wrote on Telegram on Wednesday that SpaceX imposed speed limits on Starlink terminals overnight without notifying Ukrainian forces.
According to him, this has caused “disruptions to several missions.” He stated, “This cannot be a coincidence; it is linked to the current political situation.”
What is the new restriction?
According to sources within Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, a Starlink terminal loses its connection as soon as a vehicle or drone exceeds 100 mph (160 km/h).
This impacts live video feeds, remote control capabilities, and real-time tracking.
Sources told the BBC that operating interceptor drones and mid-range strike drones has become particularly difficult, and frontline logistics, reconnaissance, and signal relaying have also been compromised.
Starlink is crucial for Ukraine, as it enables the guidance of drones toward Russian targets and the defense of its airspace.
According to Beskrestnov, Starlink is the most effective tool for interceptors tasked with shooting down Russia’s new jet-powered drones.
Serhii Sternenko, a prominent Ukrainian blogger and former advisor to the Ministry of Defence, claimed that some military reports indicate the restrictions have tightened, with communication cutting off at speeds exceeding 44 mph.
He also suggested that SpaceX might have taken this step at the behest of the Trump administration.
A source reported that Starlink disruptions have been observed in the area of the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps, which operates on the southeastern frontline.
Medevac teams and vehicles speeding through dangerous artillery zones could also lose the ability to coordinate or call for backup.
Ukraine’s Defence Minister stated that he is in contact with the US, SpaceX, and NATO to clarify the nature of these restrictions.
Neither SpaceX nor Musk has commented on the matter so far, and Zelensky has remained silent as well. According to Ministry of Defence sources, the “root cause” of the issue is currently being investigated.
Musk’s previous statement and strained ties with Washington
On Saturday, Musk remarked that Zelensky had “gone too far” in attacking Russian oil infrastructure.
Relations between Kyiv and Washington have been strained since Donald Trump advocated for lifting sanctions on Russia to lower fuel prices and called for Zelensky’s removal.
The US has reportedly threatened to halt intelligence sharing and stop European purchases of American weapons for Ukraine if the country does not cease attacks on refineries.
No warning before missile attacks
According to Zelensky, Kyiv was subjected to Russian ballistic missile attacks over two consecutive nights without any prior warning from allied nations.
Air raid sirens sounded only after the missiles had already begun to strike, hindering air defense efforts and leaving people with no time to reach shelters.
Kyiv relies on intelligence from the US, Britain, and France to detect missile launch activities within Russia, and Ukraine tracks Russian missiles using American satellite systems.
Trump stated on Tuesday that Washington continues to share intelligence with Ukraine, a claim confirmed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.
However, behind the scenes, Ukrainian military leaders are concerned about a lack of US support. A Ukrainian official told Politico that the Americans attributed the lack of warning to “bad weather,” an explanation Kyiv finds insufficient.
According to the official, “many are worried that this might not be the real reason.”
Heavy attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv
Between Tuesday night and early Wednesday, Russia launched 39 ballistic and cruise missiles and deployed 128 drones against Kyiv and Kharkiv.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, 4 missiles and 115 drones were shot down. The attacks targeted several energy facilities, plunging the homes of 600,000 people into darkness.
At least three people were killed and 22 injured. One ballistic missile struck a nine-story residential building, killing two people and leaving 16 hospitalized.
According to Zelenskyy, 26 power facilities and four oil and gas facilities were damaged.
He described the attack as “entirely deliberate and demonstrative in scale,” adding, “Russia has never before shown such brazen insolence towards America.”
This was Moscow’s largest attack since Trump announced an “energy ceasefire” on Sunday.
Later on Wednesday, at least six people were killed in a Russian drone attack on a warehouse in the city of Lutsk.
