ع
US President Donald Trump rejected any suggestion that he or SpaceX chief Elon Musk had a hand in recent limits placed on Ukraine’s access to the Starshield military satellite system. Speaking to reporters as he left the White House for a trip to Georgia, Trump added that the United States had not imposed any such restrictions and that the service remained unchanged from what he understood. He further stated that he maintains a good relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Restrictions reducing connectivity speeds for terminals in motion to 160 kilometres per hour took effect overnight on October 14 without advance warning to Ukrainian authorities, according to a senior defence ministry source who spoke to the BBC. The changes interrupted headquarters communications, reduced internet speeds and led to the cancellation of multiple drone missions used for strikes and intercepting Russian attacks. Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov said the timing could not be coincidental and appeared connected to the current political situation.
Reuters reported that the directive to reduce Starshield services originated inside the White House, based on accounts from two US officials and a Western official familiar with the matter. The restrictions emerged as Trump pressed Kyiv to cease attacks on Russian oil refineries, which he has tied to higher global energy prices impacting Republican prospects in the November midterm elections. Experts cited by the agency attributed the bulk of recent energy cost increases to conflicts in the Middle East instead.
The Telegraph reported that Musk proposed the speed limits to Trump, who agreed to the idea, according to four sources with knowledge of the talks. A high-ranking European official and two Ukrainian sources backed that version of events, which conflicts with Musk’s statement on X that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government while any limits are set by the military and ultimately the president. Musk added that the commercial Starlink service is restricted to civilian or defensive activities and cannot support offensive military action.
Zelensky stated that the speed restrictions had not been fully lifted despite some restoration of service following deadly Russian strikes earlier in the week. The Starshield platform, developed as a military-grade extension of the Starlink constellation, has underpinned Ukrainian battlefield communications and drone guidance throughout the conflict with Russia. A source in Ukraine’s defence ministry confirmed that while higher-speed functionality was returning, complete removal of the limit was still required to counter fast Russian drones effectively.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the episode has deepened unease among Ukrainian officials and certain US lawmakers regarding the trajectory of relations with the Trump administration. Ukraine’s top diplomat in Washington, Denys Sienik, issued an urgent alert to US lawmakers that the curbs would advantage Russia and complicate interception of strikes on civilians. A senior US official told AFP that Trump never made any request for the reduction in services.
