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Ukraine war latest: Starshield speed restrictions return, Zelensky says
Developing story first seen 3 hours ago
Zelensky says Starshield speed restrictions have returned and are disrupting Ukrainian military operations across the front line and in occupied areas. He says the limits are making it harder to intercept Russian jet-powered drones, and that some Russian strikes have succeeded because Ukrainian interceptors could not reach their targets in time.
The restrictions cap operating speed at 161 kilometres per hour (100 miles per hour), according to Zelensky, who said Ukraine is investigating the circumstances with the United States. Ukrainian military sources confirmed the limit remained in place; one commander said it also made Ukraine’s mid-range strike drones easier for Russia to intercept or evade. The article also reports that Russian strikes on Kyiv killed one person and injured eight, and that a Russian serviceman was killed in a car explosion near St Petersburg.
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In short
- Starshield speed restrictions are disrupting Ukrainian military operations.
- The 161-kilometre-per-hour cap is hindering drone interception.
- Ukraine is seeking answers from the United States.
How this story developed
- 1 hour ago Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Starshield communications have faced systematic speed restrictions for several days, disrupting military operations along the front and in occupied areas.
- 1 hour ago Zelensky says Starshield speed restrictions have returned and are disrupting Ukrainian military operations across the front line and in occupied areas.
Full account
Ukraine’s military has again encountered serious disruption to its Starshield satellite communications, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on 12 November. He said the problem had persisted for several days and was affecting forces along the front and in Russian-occupied areas. Starshield is the military version of Starlink, which Ukraine uses alongside commercial terminals.
Zelensky said operating limits were restricting equipment travelling faster than about 161 kilometres per hour (100 mph). That was making it harder for Ukrainian forces to use interceptor systems against Russian jet-powered drones, and he said some attacks had got through because interceptors could not reach their targets in time. A Ukrainian corps-level commander in Donetsk Oblast and a senior member of the Unmanned Systems Forces separately confirmed the speed cap to the Kyiv Independent, according to that outlet. Zelensky described the restrictions as systematic rather than accidental and said Kyiv was seeking an explanation from the United States.
The renewed problem follows a similar disruption reported in October, when Ukrainian military equipment travelling above roughly 100 mph faced connectivity limits. The second outlet recalls that episode as prompting public disagreement between SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk and the Trump administration over responsibility; it also says the administration later reported that service had been restored. Zelensky said Ukraine still knew little about the cause of the current restrictions. He linked the issue to the front line and warned against any decision that treated occupied Ukrainian territory as outside Ukraine.
The reports place the communications problem amid continued Russian attacks and stalled diplomacy. The Kyiv Independent account describes Russian missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and the surrounding region overnight and during the day on 12 November, reporting one person killed and eight injured in the capital, as well as damage to homes and vehicles. The other outlet focuses on Zelensky’s remarks before the European Political Community Summit and the effect of the restrictions on intercepting drones. Both describe the US-brokered Abu Dhabi talks as having made no meaningful progress; the second adds that Russia demanded Ukrainian withdrawal from the remaining part of Donbas, while Ukraine rejected giving up territory.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
The Kyiv Independent report gives the specific 161 km/h limit, cites two Ukrainian military sources who confirmed it, and details damage and casualties from strikes on Kyiv. The second outlet rounds the limit to about 100 mph, foregrounds Zelensky’s comments at the European Political Community Summit and recounts the October dispute between Musk and the Trump administration.
The second outlet provides more detail on the competing positions in the Abu Dhabi talks and Zelensky’s concern that restrictions might be intended to constrain Ukrainian operations. The first report stresses the impact on interceptor drones and says Ukraine is still establishing the circumstances with the United States.
Explained simply
Starshield is a satellite communications service made by SpaceX, the US company founded by Elon Musk. Ukraine relies on satellite links to keep military units connected, including in areas where other communications networks are damaged or unavailable.
Volodymyr Zelensky is Ukraine’s president, and Ukrainian forces are fighting Russia’s invasion across a long front line. Reliable communications can help troops share information and coordinate the use of drones, which both sides use for surveillance and attacks.
The United States is a major supporter of Ukraine, so any limits on a service provided by a US company can affect military operations and raise questions about the country’s reliance on that technology. Starshield is distinct from Starlink, SpaceX’s wider satellite internet service.