SpaceX imposed an unannounced speed restriction on Starlink terminals used by Ukraine’s Defense Forces overnight on October 14, limiting connectivity for terminals in motion and disrupting several military missions, according to Ukrainian officials.
The restriction applies to the military-grade Starshield service package and is set at 100 miles per hour (about 160 kilometers per hour), said Serhii Beskrestnov, a freelance adviser to Ukraine’s president on technology, in a Facebook post.
Beskrestnov, known by the callsign Flash, said Ukrainian units received no advance warning before the limitation took effect.
“Our Defense Forces were not warned about this restriction, and it resulted in several missions being disrupted,” he wrote. “Clearly, this cannot be a coincidence and is linked to the current political situation.”
Officials Report Even Stricter Limits in Practice
Serhii Sternenko, a former adviser to Ukraine’s defense minister, said on Telegram that military personnel were reporting more severe practical restrictions than the officially stated threshold.
“Our service members report that restrictions on the use of Starlink satellite communication terminals by our operators have been tightened. Disruptions now begin at speeds of 60-70 km/h,” Sternenko wrote.
He had earlier reported that connectivity began dropping at speeds above 160 km/h, disrupting a number of important missions.
Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Reaction Corps, deployed in the southeast, provided further detail to Reuters. The unit said connection could drop for 10 to 20 seconds at speeds of just 110 to 120 km/h.
“The drones kept moving, but these interruptions made them harder to control,” the corps said in a statement.
A source in Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said the limitations significantly complicate logistics and some drone operations.
Military Impact and Political Context
Starlink terminals have been critical for guiding Ukraine’s longer-range drone strikes in occupied southern and eastern Ukraine. The satellite internet service, activated in the early days of Russia’s 2022 invasion, serves as the primary battlefield communications system for many Ukrainian units.
The system’s resistance to electronic jamming also made it essential for flying long-range attack drones and large hexacopters that deliver supplies to the front line.
Ukrainian officials suggested the restriction may be linked to pressure from Washington. Sternenko said SpaceX likely acted at the request of the Trump administration.
A senior Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the United States is helping Russia in the war by failing to warn Kyiv about incoming strikes and slowing Starlink speeds.
“There have already been two cases where the Americans did not provide warnings about Russian ballistic launches, a massive ballistic attack against our energy sector… And on top of that they’ve throttled Starlink speeds,” the official said.
The move comes as Washington pressures Kyiv to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries.
SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular U.S. business hours.
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As of Wednesday afternoon, SpaceX had not publicly commented on the restrictions. It remains unclear whether the speed limit will be further adjusted or lifted.
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