- Ukrainian officials accused SpaceX on Oct. 14 of cutting connectivity speeds, which disrupted military operations.
- On October 24, Zelenskyy confirmed that systems had returned to their previous operating speeds.
- On Thursday, Zelenskyy reported fresh restrictions on Starshield operations, with systematic speed limits affecting terminals moving above 161 kilometers per hour.
- U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow on Thursday morning for talks with Putin, met by Kirill Dmitriev.
- Later Thursday, Witkoff and Kushner are set to meet Zelenskyy in Ireland, following trilateral talks in the UAE that ended without a breakthrough.
- Ukrainian military have reported significant disruptions to Starshield's operations along the entire front line and in temporarily occupied territories.
- Zelenskyy stated that the restrictions imposed an effective speed limit on terminals moving at speeds above 161 kilometers per hour, making it harder for Ukraine to intercept Russian drones.
- Serhii Beskrestnov, a defense tech advisor to Zelenskyy, confirmed that the speed of Starlink operation during movement was again limited.
- Trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates between Ukrainian, Russian, and American negotiators ended earlier this week without a major diplomatic breakthrough.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced significant disruptions to Starshield operations along the front line, stating that these restrictions have hindered military capabilities against Russian drones.
"Our units have been recording significant disruptions to Starshield's operations over the territory of Ukraine for several days now – along the entire front line and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine," he wrote on X.
The restrictions impose a speed limit on terminals moving above 161 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour), disconnecting anything moving faster, which has made it difficult for Ukraine to intercept Russian jet-powered drones.
Zelenskyy emphasized that these are not random errors but systematic speed restrictions, complicating Ukraine's defense efforts.
On October 14, Ukrainian officials accused SpaceX of undermining Ukraine's defense by cutting connectivity speeds, rendering some Ukrainian strike and interceptor drones virtually unusable.1
As tensions escalate, U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Moscow for talks with President Putin, aiming to discuss a lasting resolution to the ongoing conflict. They were met by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev upon arrival.4
Later, Witkoff and Kushner are expected to meet with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of a political summit in Ireland.
“Zelenskyy said the restrictions impose a speed limit of 161 km/h, disconnecting faster-moving terminals and hampering interception of Russian jet-powered drones, with some strikes getting through. The envoys' visit follows trilateral talks in the UAE that ended without a ceasefire breakthrough, and they are set to meet Zelenskyy in Ireland later Thursday.”
CNBC
