SpaceX has restricted the Starlink satellite communication terminals used by Ukrainian troops at the front, slowing the drones that rely on them, according to Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, and Serhii Sternenko, a former adviser to the Ukrainian defense minister and a volunteer.
The news outlet Ukrainska Pravda, citing the military, reported that the restrictions targeted Starshield, the faster military version of Starlink used by drone operators. One commander sent the outlet a video showing two Ukrainian drones climbing into the sky with their connection “dropping out,” leaving them unable to continue their mission.
A source in the Ukrainian Armed Forces told Ukrainska Pravda that standard Starlink terminals installed on drones work at speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour (99 mph), but that speed is not enough for some missions, which is why drone operators use Starshield, the military version of Starlink.
“Our defense forces did not receive any warning about these restrictions, and it led to the failure of a number of missions. It’s obvious that this action can’t be a coincidence and is connected to the current political situation,” Beskrestnov wrote.
Volodymyr Zelensky said over the past two days that Western partners did not warn Ukraine about missile strikes on Kyiv. The United States told Ukraine it had not shared intelligence because of poor weather conditions, according to Politico.
The United States threatened last week to halt intelligence sharing with Ukraine and block arms deliveries unless Kyiv agreed to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries, according to reporting from the Financial Times.
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