Denys Senyk, Chargé d'Affaires of Ukraine to the United States, stated that Kyiv is expecting an official response from the Pentagon and SpaceX regarding the full restoration of the Starshield satellite system. RBC-Ukraine reported this, citing a statement made to Newsmax2 television. The diplomat emphasized that the Starshield technology is "vital" for Ukraine and expressed gratitude to the American side for the opportunity to use it.
Network Degradation and Its Impact on Defense Capabilities
According to Senyk, the decrease in satellite network speed directly affects Ukraine's ability to repel Russian attacks. The diplomat acknowledged that the situation over the past 24 hours has improved compared to two days ago, but emphasized that the service speed remains unstable. "We are waiting for clarification from the Pentagon and SpaceX on whether the problem has been resolved and the service restored, so that we can continue to protect our people and stop Russia from committing war crimes," Senyk stated. Thus, Kyiv is effectively raising the question with Washington regarding guarantees for the uninterrupted functioning of communication infrastructure, which is critically important for the air defense system and operational troop management.
Prospects for Ceasefire and Negotiation Track
Commenting on the prospects for ending the conflict, Ukraine's Chargé d'Affaires stated that Kyiv has sought an end to hostilities from the very beginning. "We are ready for any ceasefire — energy, in the Black Sea, or general," Senyk informed. When asked about the Ukrainian side's readiness for concessions, the diplomat replied that Ukraine is ready to meet at the leadership level or conduct negotiations at the team level. This statement comes against the backdrop of ongoing discussions in Washington regarding formats for a peaceful settlement and potential U.S. participation in security guarantee mechanisms.
Context: Dispute Over the Restriction of the Starlink «Military Package»
Senyk's statement came amid media reports emerging the day before that SpaceX owner Elon Musk was the initiator of the idea to restrict the operation of the Starlink «military package» for Ukraine. According to publications, this proposal was allegedly passed to U.S. President Donald Trump, who, according to the same reports, agreed and gave the «green light» to this initiative. However, Trump himself, in comments to journalists, rejected his involvement in restricting the satellite service for Ukraine. The discrepancy in assessments of who exactly initiated and authorized the reduction in network bandwidth remains unresolved at the time of publication.
Significance of Starshield for Ukrainian Military Infrastructure
The Starshield system, developed by SpaceX on the basis of the Starlink satellite constellation, provides high-speed secure communications for military and intelligence tasks. For Ukraine, whose territory is regularly subjected to missile and drone strikes, stable satellite communication is a critical element of the early warning system, air defense management, and frontline coordination. Any decrease in bandwidth or delays in network operation, according to Kyiv's assessments, directly degrades the operational capabilities of the armed forces. The expectation of an official clarification from the Pentagon and SpaceX indicates that the issue of Starshield's functioning has moved from the realm of commercial maintenance into the sphere of military-political dialogue between the two states.
