Ukraine is urgently pressing SpaceX to reverse new restrictions on its Starshield satellite service that Kyiv warns could severely hamper its ability to intercept Russian attack drones.
The restrictions were imposed without advance warning, despite Ukraine relying on the service under arrangements contracted through the U.S. government meant to last until May 15, 2027.
Ukrainian forces discovered the change overnight after experiencing connectivity problems and subsequently contacting SpaceX customer support for an explanation.
They were told that Starshield service would be restricted on platforms traveling at speeds of 100 miles per hour or higher, a source familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital.
Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on defense technology, warned that the change could particularly hamper Ukraine’s efforts to intercept Russia’s newer, jet-powered Shahed attack drones.
Beskrestnov said the restriction threatened “one of our few chances to defend the country” against those weapons, underlining the severity of the operational impact.
Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps reported that one unmanned systems unit on the Huliaipole front had already been forced to cancel missions due to connectivity problems caused by the new limitations.
That unit also reported experiencing service interruptions even while drones were traveling below the stated 100 mph threshold, suggesting the real-world impact may be broader than the technical parameters imply.
Starshield is SpaceX’s national security satellite service, built on technology developed for the company’s better-known Starlink network, and is contracted through the Pentagon via Space Force.
Ukraine has since contacted SpaceX seeking a full explanation and requesting that the company restore previous service capabilities, though SpaceX had not responded as of Wednesday morning.
Kyiv communicated to SpaceX that the restriction had not previously applied to its terminals and was creating significant operational problems for Ukrainian forces fighting against Russian aggression.
Polish Foreign Minister Radislaw Sikorski publicly criticized Elon Musk over the situation, writing on X: “Hey @elonmusk, big man, are you playing politics with your products again? As your European customers, we are watching you.”
Poland funds more than 2,900 Starlink terminals currently operating inside Ukraine, giving Warsaw a direct financial stake in how the service is managed and restricted.
Sikorski and Musk have clashed before over Ukraine’s dependence on Starlink, with Musk previously telling the Polish foreign minister, “Be quiet, small man.”
There has been no public confirmation that Musk personally ordered the new speed-based restrictions, and Fox News Digital has reached out to the Pentagon, White House, and SpaceX for comment.
The Pentagon’s existing contract with SpaceX for Starshield services does not clearly establish whether the military or the company holds authority over specific operational restrictions such as the new speed limit.
