Ukrainian armed forces are installing the Starlink satellite internet system near Pokrovsk, Donetsk region. Photo: Reuters
The White House has ordered restrictions on satellite communications used by Ukraine for battlefield communications and drone operations, Reuters reported, citing two US officials and a Western official familiar with the matter.
Top US Defense Department officials have received a message to slow down SpaceX’s StarShield service used by the Ukrainian military, officials said. However, one official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not specify who in the White House made the decision or who was responsible for implementing it. The Pentagon is the largest customer for StarShield, the military version of Starlink.
This week, Ukrainian officials said that military-grade Starlink receivers installed on high-speed vehicles had stopped working, disrupting the onboard guidance systems of drones in Ukrainian airspace. The drones’ reliance on the receivers to operate them also hampered the effectiveness of the operation.
A Ukrainian Defense Ministry official said on Thursday that the receptors are now operational again, but their effective speed is limited to a maximum of 100 miles per hour, or about 160 kilometers.
US pressures Ukraine over oil refinery attack
The move to temporarily restrict the vital communications network comes as President Donald Trump is pressuring Kiev to stop attacks on Russian refineries. He has blamed the attacks on skyrocketing fuel prices, which are hurting his Republican Party’s chances in the November midterm elections. But experts say the main reason for the increase in fuel costs is the US-Israeli war against Iran, which has seen Iran attack energy facilities and essentially shut down the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Asked for comment on the StarShield restriction order, a senior US official said the president had never made such a request. The White House did not respond to a question about whether other administration officials had made such requests.
SpaceX has developed StarShield specifically for government and national security customers, particularly the US Department of Defense. Its backbone is the Starlink constellation.
Ukrainian officials said the restrictions have complicated strikes against Russian forces and logistics in the occupied territories and slowed down interceptor drones used to shoot down Russian drones heading toward Ukraine.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk told X on Wednesday that the StarShield system is owned and controlled by the US government, so any limits on speed or use are set by the US military or the president. SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment. The Defense Department and the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington also did not respond.