The key facts

  • Zelensky reported a Starshield speed limit of 161 km/h in occupied territories, in effect for five days
  • According to him, the restrictions hamper the interception of Russian jet-powered attack drones
  • Kyiv has instructed the Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry to contact the State Department, the Pentagon, and SpaceX; the company calls the problem technical

Speed restrictions in occupied territories

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Ukrainian military has faced restrictions in the operation of SpaceX's Starshield network: in territories occupied by Russian forces, terminals are limited to a maximum movement speed of 161 kilometers per hour. According to him, the restrictions have been in effect for five days. “They say it is some kind of technical problem. We do not believe that is the case,” several outlets quoted him as saying; the comments were released on Saturday.

Impact on drone defense and Kyiv's response

Speaking at the European Political Community summit in Dublin, Zelensky said the restrictions directly affect Ukraine's ability to intercept Russian jet-powered attack drones. “If someone in America makes decisions that effectively treat Ukrainian territory as if it were not Ukrainian, that tells us where everything is heading,” he said at the summit. On Friday, he added that Kyiv had not received “clear explanations” regarding the restrictions and instructed the Foreign Ministry and the Defense Minister to intensify contacts with the US State Department, the Pentagon, and SpaceX in order to obtain clarification and resolve the situation. Starshield is critically important for Ukraine's military operations, providing reliable communications and internet on the battlefield.

Context: talk of NATO membership and ceding territory

The statements about Starshield came against the backdrop of ongoing efforts to accelerate peace talks. Zelensky told journalists on Friday that Washington had for the first time raised the question of whether Ukraine could join NATO by ceding the Donbas to Russia. “The Americans raised the question: what if Ukraine joins NATO? Will Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas? This was raised for the first time,” he said; his comments were under embargo until Saturday. According to him, Ukraine is discussing “concrete security guarantees” from NATO and the EU, and if Western countries confirm the terms, he will ask Ukrainians whether they accept them: “I do not have the right to make such a decision alone.”