Elon Musk’s SpaceX has reportedly imposed new restrictions on its Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine, disrupting military drone missions, according to Ukrainian officials.
Reuters and The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the company introduced new limits on how fast Starlink terminals can travel while maintaining a connection. The restrictions primarily affect Starshield, SpaceX’s military-focused version of the service, according to the reports.
“I confirm that SpaceX implemented a speed limit for Starlink terminals operating in motion last night,” Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wrote on Telegram, The Wall Street Journal reported. “Our defense forces received no warning about this restriction, and it has led to the disruption of a number of missions.”
Specifically, Beskrestnova told Reuters that the military-grade service stops working when terminals travel faster than 100 miles per hour.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Reaction Corps said that drones were losing connectivity for 10 to 20 seconds at speeds as low as 68 to 75 mph.
“The drones kept moving, but these interruptions made them harder to control,” the Corps told Reuters in a statement.
Notably, the move comes as President Donald Trump has pressured Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil refineries as part of his push for an energy cease-fire with Russia.
However, Reuters notes that Starlink does not operate inside Russia, meaning those attacks would not be directly affected by the restrictions.
The timing also comes amid broader tensions between the United States and Ukraine. S. was continuing to share intelligence with Ukraine, despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claiming that his country had not received advance warnings from allies before a recent Russian missile attack on Kyiv.
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