US denied involvement in Starlink restrictions in Ukraine – Axios
Ukrainian authorities have approached the White House, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Pentagon over unexpected restrictions on satellite communications Starlink and Starshield. Kyiv is trying to find out who made the relevant decision and whether it is connected to demands by US President Donald Trump to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries.
This is reported by Axios citing American and Ukrainian officials.
According to the publication, on October 14, the closest advisers to President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks with representatives of the White House. The Ukrainian side asked whether the Trump administration had made a decision to restrict satellite communications and what measures are necessary to fully restore the system.
Similar appeals were sent to the CIA and the Pentagon. White House representatives assured Ukrainian officials that the administration does not control the activities of the private company SpaceX. According to one of Axios' sources, US authorities plan to contact the company to find out the reasons for the restrictions.
A senior US official separately told the publication that the Trump administration is not involved in the imposed restrictions on Starlink.
At the same time, Ukrainian officials suspect that the restrictions may have been deliberate and linked to political pressure from Washington. They assume that this is an attempt to force Ukraine to agree to Trump's demand to stop attacks on Russian refineries. There is no independent confirmation of this version yet.
The problems occurred on the night of October 14, when satellite terminals began to lose connection while moving. According to Ukrainian military, in some cases communication was lost at speeds above 80 km/h, in others – after exceeding 160 km/h.
During Wednesday, satellite communications were partially restored. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that speed limits remained at 160 km/h. This is not enough for full use of certain types of interceptor drones, in particular against Russian jet drones.
The restrictions also complicated reconnaissance operations, operation of unmanned systems and military logistics. The Ministry of Defense stated that it continues contacts with partners and SpaceX to ensure stable communication and prevent sudden changes in the terms of its use.
The situation escalated against the backdrop of disagreements between Kyiv and Washington over Trump's decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel fuel and his demand to stop Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries.
Additional concern for the Ukrainian side was caused by the fact that problems with Starlink coincided with the absence of advance warnings from American partners about Russian ballistic attacks. US representatives explained the disruptions by technical problems, but Ukrainian officials do not exclude deliberate restriction of support.
Earlier, Elon Musk stated that it is necessary to distinguish between the commercial Starlink network and the military Starshield system. According to him, Starshield is controlled by the US government, and decisions on speed limits and system use are made by the US military and ultimately the US president.
At the same time, Musk did not specify who exactly initiated the restrictions imposed on October 14. Thus, despite partial restoration of communication and negotiations with Washington, the reasons for the sudden change in satellite system operation parameters remain unknown.
Sources: Axios, Ukrainska Pravda