Kyiv: Ukraine said restrictions on satellite communications had disrupted military operations as renewed Russian attacks on energy infrastructure left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity.
Presidential technology adviser Serhiy Beskrestnov said Ukrainian forces received no warning before a movement speed limit was introduced on satellite terminals. Several missions were disrupted, he said.
Officials said the restrictions affected connections when terminals travelled at approximately 160 kilometres per hour. A Ukrainian defence ministry source told AFP that interceptor missions, reconnaissance and frontline logistics were among the activities affected.
SpaceX chief Elon Musk subsequently said the military Starshield system was owned and controlled by the US government, which determined any speed or usage limits.
His response distinguished Starshield from the civilian Starlink service. Both were developed by SpaceX, but Musk said decisions concerning Starshield rested with the US military and ultimately President Donald Trump.
Former Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said connectivity at speeds up to 160 kilometres per hour was being restored, while calling for the military service’s speed limit to be removed entirely.
The disruption coincided with Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s power network. President Volodymyr Zelensky said 26 electricity facilities and four oil and gas installations were damaged, with at least 600000 people left without power. He accused Moscow of violating Trump’s proposed halt to attacks on energy infrastructure.
The proposal’s status remained contested. While Russian authorities said discussions were continuing without confirming a completed agreement.
The satellite restrictions exposed Ukraine’s dependence on the technology for both offensive and defensive operations. However, their precise cause and any connection to political tensions between Kyiv and Washington remained unconfirmed.
