Zelensky accuses SpaceX of restricting Starshield terminal speeds for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday accused SpaceX of restricting the speed of Starshield satellite terminals, saying the measure prevents Ukrainian interceptor drones from pursuing Russian jet-powered Shahed drones.

In a statement on Telegram, Zelensky said Ukrainian interceptor drones lose their connection with operators when traveling faster than 161 kilometers (100 miles) per hour, making it difficult for them to catch up with the faster Shaheds.

He said the restrictions were affecting Ukraine's ability to protect energy infrastructure from Russian attacks.

"The Russians are targeting substations with Shaheds. And many of these strikes get through precisely because the restrictions on the speed of Starshield terminals along the front line and in the temporarily occupied territories remain," he said.

"We expect these restrictions to be lifted. The protection of lives and of Ukrainian energy before winter depends directly on this," he added.

Zelensky said he had instructed Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, and presidential office to coordinate as closely as possible with the US side and SpaceX on the issue.

Ukrainian officials said SpaceX introduced a speed limit of 161 km/h for Starlink and Starshield terminals in Ukraine on Oct. 14. Ukraine's Defense Ministry said the terminals were operating at higher speeds again on Oct. 24.

However, Zelensky said on Thursday that Starshield terminals were again losing connectivity when moving faster than 161 km/h.

According to Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, Russian jet-powered Shahed drones can reach speeds of 300-400 kilometers (186-249 miles)) per hour.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in October that the Pentagon had not issued any orders to restrict Starshield.

SpaceX had not publicly commented on Zelensky's latest remarks at the time of publication, though the company told US news outlet Axios on Thursday that claims of renewed speed restrictions were "false" and that "there has been no change."

The Ukrainian leader further said Russian forces had used more than 2,300 attack drones, 1,590 guided aerial bombs, and 15 missiles of various types against Ukraine over the past week.

According to Zelensky, strikes affected energy facilities in Zaporizhzhia and the Sumy, Odesa, Zhytomyr, and Kirovohrad regions, as well as railway infrastructure in the Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions.