Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Starshield, the military version of SpaceX's satellite internet service Starlink, has once again been subjected to speed restrictions. This has reportedly made it difficult to intercept drones coming from Russia.


Ukraine says it can’t stop Russian strikes because Starshield is limited again - Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/11/ukraine-says-spacex-starshield-is-restricted-again-spacex-claims-it-isnt/

Starlink and Starshield, the satellite internet service provided by Elon Musk's space development company SpaceX, are being used in Ukraine.

However, on October 14, 2026, local time, speed restrictions were imposed on these services. As a result, drones flying faster than 160 km/h could no longer be used, and it was reported that this caused operational difficulties for the Ukrainian military.

Ukraine says Starlink and Starshield speed restrictions lifted - Zelenskyy reports - GIGAZINE


After that, President Zelenskyy appealed on social media to lift the speed restrictions on Starlink and Starshield. The restrictions were lifted on October 24, 2026.

Ukraine says Starlink and Starshield speed restrictions are gone - Zelenskyy reports - GIGAZINE


President Zelenskyy attended the 9th European Political Community Summit held in Dublin, Ireland, on local time November 12, 2026, and stated, "I have confirmed that speed restrictions have once again been imposed on Starshield in the temporarily occupied areas of Ukrainian territory. The speed limit has returned to 161 kilometers per hour."

Ars Technica, a technology media outlet, asked SpaceX for comment on the matter, and the company's public relations representative stated, "It is not a fact that the speed limit has been reinstated. There have been no changes," thereby denying President Zelenskyy's claim.

SpaceX has received multiple contracts from the U.S. Department of Defense to provide Starshield in Ukraine. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, mentioned, "The decision regarding the speed limit for Starshield in October 2026 is 'all done by the U.S. government,'" when asked about it. Following this, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Defense rejected the requests from senators who wanted it to investigate who had ordered the speed limit.
According to a report by the financial newspaper Financial Times, Ukrainian government officials believe that a speed limit was imposed on Starshield as part of the recent peace talks between Russia and the United States, in order to exert pressure on the Ukrainian government.

When government officials from the United States and Ukraine have spoken about the speed limit, it has been unclear whether they were referring to Starlink, which is a civilian service not permitted for military use, or Starshield, which is a military service using the same technology. However, President Zelenskyy has now clearly stated that the speed limit applies to Starshield.

Zelenskyy said, "The speed limit on Starshield directly affects our ability to intercept Russian jet-propelled drones, such as the Shahed. These drones come from occupied territories, but due to the speed limit, we are unable to catch up. Near the front lines, we cannot use aircraft, and the only operational means are the drones for interception. If we cannot achieve the necessary speed, intercepting the Shahed will be extremely difficult. As a result, there will be more cases where we are unable to prevent Russian attacks, leading to more Ukrainian civilians being killed by Russia."

Furthermore, he stated, "We are trying to get more details from the American side, but we have learned very little so far. However, there is one thing that is clear. If someone in the U.S. has made a decision effectively treating Ukrainian territory as not part of Ukraine, then we can see where the situation is heading. We must clearly state our position and must not recognize Russia's occupation of Ukrainian territory in any form."