Ukraine is urgently urging SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, to undo new restrictions on its Starshield satellite service. These changes, which could hinder Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian drones and carry out military operations, have been implemented without any prior warning. Ukraine had been using the service under a contract arranged through the U.S. government that lasts until May 15, 2027.
Ukrainian forces discovered the abrupt changes after experiencing connectivity issues and reaching out to SpaceX’s customer support. They learned that Starshield would be restricted for platforms moving at speeds of 100 miles per hour or faster.
Serhii Beskrestnov, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on defense technology, warned that these new limitations could particularly affect Ukraine’s capacity to intercept newer Russian jet-powered Shahed attack drones, saying it threatens “one of our few chances to defend the country.”
Reports from the battlefield show that Ukrainian units are already facing issues. The 7th Rapid Response Corps mentioned that one of its drone units at the Huliaipole front had to cancel missions due to connectivity problems, even when drones were operating below the indicated 100 mph threshold.
Starshield is a national security satellite service from SpaceX, built on the technology used for the well-known Starlink network. High-speed operations, including those involving drones utilized for intercepting Russian attacks, could be significantly impacted. Ukrainian forces have indicated performance issues even at speeds lower than what’s specified as a threshold.
In response to the restrictions, Ukraine has reached out to SpaceX for clarification and has requested restoration of its earlier service capabilities. Ukrainian officials conveyed that these restrictions had never been in place for their terminals, emphasizing that they create serious operational challenges amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia. They also pointed out that their existing service arrangements cover various land-based mobile and fixed uses, as stated in their contract with the U.S. government.
As of Wednesday morning, there was reportedly no response from SpaceX regarding Ukraine’s request. Polish Foreign Minister Radislaw Sikorski openly criticized Musk, questioning whether he was playing politics with his products and stating that Poland, which funds over 2,900 Starlink terminals for Ukraine’s use, was closely observing the situation.
It’s worth noting that Musk and Sikorski had previously clashed over Ukraine’s reliance on Starlink, with Musk telling Sikorski to “be quiet, small man.” Currently, inquiries have been made to the Pentagon, White House, and SpaceX for further details, but there hasn’t been a public confirmation regarding whether Musk himself ordered the new restrictions.
The Pentagon works with SpaceX through the Space Force on Starshield services, which means it plays a direct role in managing the government’s agreements with the company. However, the presence of a Pentagon contract does not clarify whether the military or SpaceX holds the authority over specific operational restrictions, including the newly imposed speed limits.
