Ukraine seeks to lift Starshield speed cap in talks with SpaceX and Pentagon

Ukraine is discussing the removal of a speed restriction on its military satellite communications service with SpaceX and the Pentagon, according to the Los Angeles Times. Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Friday that the talks are under way.

Headlines from The Washington Times and AP News also describe Ukraine as seeking to lift the limit through talks. The Los Angeles Times reports that the cap cuts internet data connectivity when a communication terminal travels faster than 100 mph.

Beskrestnov said that speed is common for Ukrainian drones equipped with Starshield, the military version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service. The article identifies no technical explanation for how the restriction operates beyond its effect on terminals moving above the stated threshold. Beskrestnov said the cap was introduced without warning early Thursday.

He said Ukraine has no explanation for why the restriction was imposed. The Los Angeles Times places his account in the context of Kyiv being increasingly at odds with Washington, but does not specify what disagreements he meant or link any particular dispute to the speed limit.

The adviser characterized the restriction as a serious technological danger in the current conflict with Russia. The article says the cap has slowed drones and helicopters used to intercept Russian attacks, and that this has increased danger for frontline operations.

Those effects are reported by the Los Angeles Times; the account does not identify a separate assessment or quantify the consequences. The talks involve Ukraine, SpaceX and the Pentagon, but the Los Angeles Times does not describe the positions of SpaceX or the Pentagon, or report a decision on whether the limit will be lifted.

Al Jazeera’s headline separately says Elon Musk stated that the U.S. military controls Starlink’s limits after an outcry over Ukraine. That headline does not provide further details about his statement or establish how it relates to the specific speed cap.

For now, the concrete issue described is whether Ukraine can secure a change to the cap affecting terminals moving above 100 mph. Beskrestnov’s account links that threshold to Ukrainian drones using Starshield and says the restriction has also slowed drones and helicopters used to intercept Russian attacks.

The reported discussions with SpaceX and the Pentagon are the next documented step; no outcome is reported.