Speed cap hits Ukrainian drones at the front

Ukraine's interceptor drones depend on Starshield, the military version of Starlink run by SpaceX, to chase down jet-powered Shahed drones that fly at more than 400 kph (250 mph). According to AP, a cap imposed early Thursday, 15 October, cut the data connection whenever a terminal moved faster than 160 kph (100 mph), a speed common for Ukrainian drones equipped with Starshield. The restriction forced those drones to fly slower than usual, making them easier for Russian weapons to target or evade. BBC gives an earlier start, reporting that Starlink limited speeds to 100 mph (160 km/h) on Tuesday night, 13 October, and that Ukraine was hit by several deadly strikes on Tuesday after the slowdown. AP adds that Starshield had previously had no speed limit at all.

Talks with SpaceX and the Pentagon

Serhii Beskrestnov, a defence technology adviser to Zelenskyy, said on Friday, 16 October, that Ukraine is in talks with SpaceX and the Pentagon to lift the cap. He told AP that Kyiv has no explanation for why the restriction was imposed at a time when relations with Washington are strained.

“But we now understand that this is not only a technical issue and not only a business issue, but also a political one.”

Beskrestnov said nobody outside can yet know who makes such decisions or who influences them. The Pentagon had not answered AP's questions about the restriction. Ukraine's defence ministry said on 15 October that Starshield work had resumed at the front and was still improving, without saying what speed applied. BBC reported that Zelenskyy said speed had yet to be restored, while Rzeczpospolita reported him saying on Friday that the network was returning to normal.

Who ordered the cap

Musk wrote on X on Wednesday, 14 October, that the US government owns and controls Starshield and that limits on speed or use are decided by the US military and ultimately the president.

“Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS.”

Reuters, citing two US officials and a Western official briefed on the matter, reported that the order came from the White House and that the Pentagon was told to slow Starshield for Ukrainian forces. An Axios source said the Trump administration had no link to the restrictions. The Daily Telegraph, citing four sources, reported that Musk proposed the throttling to Trump and that Trump agreed, and that Musk later worried about a backlash from SpaceX customers in Europe. According to the paper, a senior European official and two Ukrainian sources confirmed that version. Republican senator Tom Tillis has opened an investigation into Pentagon activity around the Starlink problems, according to Deutsche Welle.

Trump's denial

Trump told reporters on Friday, 16 October, as he left the White House for Georgia, that he had not ordered restrictions on the system and doubted Musk had either.

“Well, I don't know if it was anybody, but it wasn't me, and I don't think it was Elon.”

Asked about Starshield, he said he was "not sure" it had ever come down. He also said he had a good relationship with Zelenskyy. Ukrainian officials remain sceptical. One Ukrainian official quoted by Axios said officials who speak to SpaceX believe the White House was involved in the decision.

A strained relationship

The episode follows Trump's deal to import Russian diesel, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal, and a breakdown in Western intelligence sharing that Zelenskyy described. BBC reported that Washington had warned it could withhold intelligence if Ukraine kept hitting Russian oil refineries. Zelenskyy resumed those strikes this week, and Kyiv has said it will stop only if Moscow does the same. Axios reported that Trump called for Ukraine to elect a new president after Zelenskyy criticised the diesel deal. At an EU summit on Friday, Zelenskyy asked who else would stand up to the pressure if he did not.