Kyiv, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine is in talks with EspaceX and the Pentagon will lift the speed limit on its military satellite communications service, an adviser to the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky ” said Friday, but the country has no explanation for why the restriction was imposed at a time when kyiv is increasingly at odds with Washington.
The cap, imposed without warning early Thursday, cuts internet data connection when a communications terminal moves more than 100 mph (160 km/h), which is common for Ukrainian drones equipped with Starshieldthe military version of the Starlink satellite service offered by SpaceX. The restriction has forced drones to fly more slowly than usual, making it easier for Russian weapons to target or avoid them.
“But we now understand that this is not only a technical and commercial issue, but also a political one,” Serhii Beskrestnov, Zelensky’s defense technology adviser, said in an interview with The Associated Press.
“How this will evolve, who will make this decision, who influences these decisions, we can only guess,” he said.
Founder of SpaceX Elon Musk said this week that the U.S. government owns and controls Starshield, with decisions about its use resting with the U.S. military and, ultimately, President Donald Trump. The Pentagon did not respond to AP’s questions about the restriction.
Trump told reporters Friday that he had not ordered restrictions on the system. He also doubted that the disruption came from Musk.
“Well, I don’t know if it was anyone, but it wasn’t me, and I don’t think it was Elon,” Trump said outside the White House before leaving for Georgia. “And from what I understand, that’s how it’s always been.”
The episode adds to the deterioration of the relationship
This episode adds to the deterioration of relations between kyiv and Washington, already strained by Trump’s decision. agreement to import Russian dieselwhich Ukraine considered a betrayal, and by what Zelenskyy described as a break in Western intelligence sharing.
The speed restriction disrupted frontline operations and further exposed Ukraine to Russian Shahed jet droneswhich fly at over 400 km/h (250 mph). kyiv recently found a way to counter drones after weeks of relentless attacks that killed dozens of civilians.
Ukraine relies on Starshield, which previously had no speed limit, to control interceptor drones that pursue jet drones at speeds well above the limit.
“Our members of the armed forces show that the solution works effectively,” Beskrestnov said. “And then comes a surprise: at some point, this solution ceases to protect our country.”
The cap also affects Ukrainian helicopters that hunt propeller-driven Shahed drones, Beskrestnov said.
The network is the backbone of drone operations in Ukraine
Starshield is the backbone of drone operations in Ukraine. Beskrestnov described it as a package managed by the Pentagon and the US government and offered to partner countries for military purposes. It has separate fees and conditions than civil satellite service, as well as a more stable and higher priority connection.
Beskrestnov stressed that it is not used on Russian territory and that Starshield does not provide any services to the Ukrainian drones used. to attack the oil refineries there.
After the restriction came into force, Ukraine began talking about it almost immediately because it “could not be hidden” given the large number of units relying on the service, Beskrestnov said. He was the first Ukrainian official to publicly confirm the restriction.
Problems quickly multiplied, Beskrestnov said, with communications outages in addition to the speed limit likely caused by the new limits. After Ukraine raised the issue, SpaceX fixed the outages, but the cap remained in place.
Ukraine is trying to determine whether it can move to a separate Starshield package designed for planes without a speed limit, or whether the restriction on the current service is lifted, Beskrestnov said. The air package costs much more, which would also be difficult for Ukraine, he added.
“We are currently in active negotiations with the Pentagon, SpaceX and the US government. And right now we don’t know what the decision will be,” he said.
Ukraine seeks alternatives to Starlink
Ukraine is looking for alternatives to Starlink, not only to protect itself in the event of loss of access, but also because Russia is already looking for ways to counter Starlink, Beskrestnov said. Russian forces are deploying electronic warfare systems at different points along the front line to disrupt the network, he explained.
Ukraine is also exploring other options, including a satellite network that Amazon is building and OneWeb from European company Eutelsat, Beskrestnov said.
Satellite internet is important to Ukraine beyond combat because it also supports civilians and troop morale, Beskrestnov said.
“On many posts, Starlink is the only way to talk to their families,” he said. “Not many people think about it, but it’s very important to support the military.”
Russia’s Rassvet satellite network is the next big challenge
As Ukraine attempts to lift Starshield restrictions, the next phase of the technology race looms, Beskrestnov said, pointing to Russia’s Rassvet satellite network.
“For me, this is the No. 1 danger among the technological challenges that Russia currently poses to us,” he said. “And not only for Ukraine, but also for Europe.”
He said he believes Russia has already acquired the capability for real-time satellite control of Shahed drones, reconnaissance drones and even cheap missiles such as the Banderol and Dan-M.
“It will really be a big disaster for everyone,” he said.
Simply put, the satellite connection would allow Russian operators to direct drones and missiles directly, rendering useless the electronic warfare network Ukraine has built across the country to jam them.
“They will be able to attack the entire country in real time and do it very precisely,” Beskrestnov said.
Russia already has windows of coverage on Ukraine, he said. When its satellites pass overhead, they provide temporary coverage for 30 to 40 minutes. He said he believed full coverage could be put in place quickly, in about six months.
Beskrestnov said Ukraine was working on countermeasures, including sanctions. But the task is arduous. Russian engineers had a working Starlink to test their jamming, while Ukraine must build defenses against a system that is not yet fully operational.
“We have to move,” he said. “By the time Russia starts using it to attack our infrastructure and ourselves, we must have already developed the means, produced them in large quantities and deployed them for protection.”
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Associated Press writer Ben Finley in Washington contributed to this report.
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