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Veterans & National Security · Report · File No. 261112-992

Ukraine says Starshield satellite service is being slowed again as U.S. envoys meet Putin

Ukraine's president says its military's satellite internet is again capped at 100 mph. He says the cap is hurting its ability to shoot down Russian drones. It shows how much a private company's decisions can matter in a war the U.S. is deeply involved in.

By the National Desk · · 2 min read

Every quote in this story (2) was matched word for word against its source. How we work

My clippings
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photo: Press Service of the President of Ukraine, CC BY 4.0

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that his military has suffered a new wave of "significant disruptions" to Starshield, the satellite internet service its forces depend on. Starshield is the military version of Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink service. 1

Zelenskyy said units have reported speed restrictions for several days, along the entire front line and in Russian-occupied areas. A 100 mph limit is once again being imposed, he said. NBC News reports the system normally runs at a stable speed above about 250 mph. 1

Volodymyr Zelenskyy
These are not random errors but systematic speed restrictions.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine1

Zelenskyy said the slowdown makes it harder to intercept Russian jet-powered drones. "Unfortunately, there have already been strikes that got through," he said, because Ukraine's interception systems cannot reach enough speed to stop them in time. 1

He said Ukraine is trying to clarify the reasons for the restriction with the U.S. side. SpaceX did not immediately respond to NBC News's request for comment. The Pentagon, which is the U.S. military's headquarters, had not answered the Associated Press's questions about the earlier limit in October. 12

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A dispute that began in October

The Associated Press reported that a similar cap was imposed without warning on October 15. It cuts the data connection when a terminal moves faster than 160 km/h, or 100 mph. That forces Ukrainian drones to fly slower, which makes them easier for Russian weapons to hit. 2

Serhii Beskrestnov, a defense technology adviser to Zelenskyy, said in October that Ukraine was negotiating with SpaceX, the Pentagon and the U.S. government to lift the cap. He said it was unclear who was making the decision. 2

The public explanations have shifted. NBC reports that Musk first put responsibility on President Donald Trump, while the U.S. government said only Musk could have made the call. Trump denied any role. Musk later said SpaceX acted to close a gap in its civilian Starlink service. He accused Ukraine of violating the service's terms by using it for offensive drone strikes, which Ukraine denied. 1

AP reported that Musk also said the U.S. government owns and controls Starshield, with decisions resting with the military and ultimately Trump. Those accounts conflict, and none has been confirmed independently. 2

Peace talks continue

Zelenskyy spoke hours after U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, arrived in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. A two-day round of talks in Abu Dhabi ended without a major breakthrough, though Russia and Ukraine agreed to a large exchange of prisoners of war. 1

Zelenskyy is set to meet Kushner and Witkoff in Dublin on Friday. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said Russian strikes overnight killed five civilians and injured 29. 1

That matters because a satellite link that a private company or the White House can slow down becomes leverage at the bargaining table. The timing, with U.S. envoys sitting across from Putin, will draw questions in Congress about who decides how a U.S.-linked military service is used. That is analysis, and the facts about who ordered the limit are still disputed. 12

The Record

  1. A 100 mph cap on Starshield terminals hit Ukrainian drones without warning, per AP. 2
  2. Zelenskyy says a new wave of speed limits has hit the whole front line as U.S. envoys meet Putin in Moscow. 1
  3. Zelenskyy is set to meet Kushner and Witkoff in Dublin. 1
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Sources

  1. NBC News, “Ukraine says Starshield is being limited again, hampering its defenses against Russia” (2026-11-12). nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/ukraine-starshield-limits-russia-w
  2. AP, “Presidential adviser says Ukraine is in talks to lift speed limit on military satellite network” (2026-10-16). news4jax.com/news/world/2026/10/16/presidential-adviser-says

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