During his speech at the IX European Political Community summit, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a renewed speed limitation on Starshield satellite internet services within Ukrainian territory. According to him, the speed has again been fixed at 161 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour), with the restrictions primarily affecting the temporarily occupied parts of the country. The head of state called this situation "bad news" and emphasized that it has direct consequences for Ukraine's defense capabilities.
Direct link to intercepting jet-powered drones
Zelenskyy explained that the Starshield speed limit directly impacts the ability of Ukrainian forces to intercept Russian "Shahed" jet-powered drones. He stated that these drones are launched from occupied territories, and due to the reduced satellite data transmission speed, interceptors cannot catch up to their targets. The President noted that Ukraine cannot utilize aviation near the front line—only drone interceptors can operate there, and they depend critically on data transmission speeds. Without the necessary bandwidth, shooting down jet drones becomes significantly more difficult, which, according to Zelenskyy, leads to more Russian strikes reaching their targets and civilians losing their lives.
"It tells us where things are heading"
Addressing the summit participants, Zelenskyy expressed concern that the decisions regarding speed limits are being made in the US. "If someone in America makes decisions by effectively treating Ukrainian territory as if it were not Ukrainian, then it tells us where things are heading," the President stated. He emphasized that Ukraine must not and will not recognize the occupation of its territory by an aggressor nation under any circumstances. Furthermore, Zelenskyy added that Kyiv is attempting to obtain details from the American side regarding the reasons and mechanisms behind these restrictions, though it currently possesses very limited information.
Confirmation from the defense ministry
Presidential advisor on defense technology development Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov confirmed that the speed of Starlink (Starshield) while in motion has been restricted once again. Previously, Zelenskyy had reported significant service disruptions of the satellite system over Ukrainian territory lasting for several days. These were recorded along the entire front line as well as in the so-called occupied territories. Thus, the problem is systemic in nature and affects not just one sector, but the front-line zone as a whole.
Context: why Starshield speed is critical for air defense
The Starshield satellite internet system, adapted for military use, provides a communication channel between operators of interceptor drones and the units themselves. Jet-powered "Shaheds" reach speeds significantly higher than 161 km/h, and for successful interception at low altitude, minimal latency in command transmission is required. Capping the speed at 100 miles per hour, according to the logic presented by Zelenskyy, creates a "blind window" where the interceptor physically cannot lock onto its target. This transforms a bandwidth restriction from a technical issue into a factor directly impacting the number of civilian casualties. According to the President, Kyiv continues to demand clarifications from Washington, but no public comments from American agencies regarding this episode had been made at the time of Zelenskyy's speech.
