KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine is in talks with SpaceX and the Pentagon to lift a speed cap on its military satellite communication service, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 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 the internet data connection when a communication terminal moves faster than 160 kph (100 mph), which is common for Ukrainian drones equipped with Starshield, the military version of the Starlink satellite service offered by SpaceX. The restriction forced the drones to fly slower than usual, making it easier for Russian weapons to target or evade them.
“But we now understand that this is not only a technical issue and not only a business issue, but also a political one,” Serhii Beskrestnov, a defense technology adviser to Zelenskyy, told The Associated Press in an interview.
“How this will develop, who will make this decision, who influences these decisions, we can only guess,” he said.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk said this week that the U.S. government owns and controls Starshield, with decisions about its use resting with the American military and, ultimately, with President Donald Trump. The Pentagon has not answered questions from AP about the restriction.
Trump told reporters Friday that he did not order restrictions on the system. He also doubted that the disruption came from Musk.
“Well, I don’t know if it was anybody, 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, it’s the same as it’s always been.”
Episode adds to deteriorating relationship
The episode adds to the deteriorating relations between Kyiv and Washington that were already strained by Trump’s deal to import Russian diesel, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal, and by what Zelenskyy described as a breakdown in Western intelligence sharing.
The speed restriction disrupted front-line operations and left Ukraine more exposed to Russia’s jet-powered Shahed drones, which fly at more than 400 kph (250 mph). Kyiv recently found a way to counter the 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 chase down the jet-powered drones at speeds far above the cap.
“Our guys in the armed forces are showing that the solution works effectively,” Beskrestnov said. “And then comes a surprise: At one moment, this solution stops protecting our country.”
The cap also affects Ukrainian helicopters that hunt propeller-driven Shahed drones, Beskrestnov said.
Network is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations
Starshield is the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations. Beskrestnov described it as a package managed by the Pentagon and the U.S. government and offered to partner countries for military use. It has separate fees and terms from the civilian satellite service, as well as a more stable, higher priority connection.
Beskrestnov stressed that it is not used on Russian territory and that Starshield provides no service to Ukrainian drones used to attack oil refineries there.
After the restriction took effect, Ukraine began speaking about it almost immediately because it “could not be hidden,” with so many units relying on the service, Beskrestnov said. He was the first Ukrainian official to publicly confirm the restriction.
Problems soon mounted, Beskrestnov said, with communication outages on top of the speed restriction, most 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 find out whether it can switch to a separate Starshield package designed for aircraft that has no speed limit, or have the restriction on the current service lifted, Beskrestnov said. The aviation package costs much more, which would also be difficult for Ukraine, he said.
“We are now in active negotiations with the Pentagon, SpaceX and the U.S. 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 as a safeguard in case it loses access, but also because Russia is already seeking ways to counter Starlink, Beskrestnov said. Russian forces are deploying electronic warfare systems at various points along the front line to disrupt the network, he said.
Ukraine is also exploring other options, including a satellite network Amazon is building and OneWeb by Europe’s Eutelsat, Beskrestnov said.
Satellite internet matters to Ukraine beyond combat, as it also supports civilians and the morale of troops, Beskrestnov said.
“On many positions, Starlink is the only way to talk to their families,” he said. “Few people think about it, but it is very important for supporting the military.”
Russia’s Rassvet satellite network presents the next big challenge
While Ukraine tries to resolve the Starshield restriction, the next phase of the technology race looms, Beskrestnov said, pointing to Russia’s Rassvet satellite network.
“For me, this is danger No. 1 among the technological challenges Russia poses to us right now,” he said. “And not only for Ukraine, but for Europe too.”
He said he believes Russia is already gaining the ability to control Shahed drones, reconnaissance drones and even cheap missiles such as the Banderol and Dan-M by satellite in real time.
“This really will be a big catastrophe for everyone,” he said.
Simply put, the satellite connection would allow Russian operators to steer 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 whole country in real time, and do it very precisely,” Beskrestnov said.
Russia already has windows of coverage over Ukraine, he said. When its satellites pass overhead, they provide temporary coverage for 30 to 40 minutes. He said he believes full coverage could come quickly, in about six months.
Beskrestnov said Ukraine is working on countermeasures, including sanctions. But the task is hard. Russian engineers had a working Starlink to test their jamming against, while Ukraine has to build defenses against a system that is not yet fully operating.
“We need to move,” he said. “By the time Russia starts using it to attack our infrastructure and us, we must already have developed the means, produced them in large numbers and deployed them for protection.”
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Associated Press Writer Ben Finley in Washington contributed to this report.