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Ukraine Says 100% of Missions Are Failing Under Starshield Restrictions—SpaceX Denies Any Changes
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Ukraine has reported three consecutive days of restrictions affecting SpaceX’s military-grade Starshield satellite communications system, with a Ukrainian official claiming the disruptions have caused 100% of affected military missions to fail.
SpaceX, however, has rejected the allegations, insisting that no changes have been made to the service, according to Axios on November 12.
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The reported disruptions have intensified concerns over Ukraine’s reliance on US satellite technology for military operations, particularly as Kyiv uses Starshield to control reconnaissance and interceptor drones deployed against Russian attacks.
An unnamed Ukrainian official told Axios that the restrictions had become progressively more severe over three days, eventually rendering missions dependent on the affected service unsuccessful.
“On the first day, the restrictions were 10%; on the second day, 50%; and today, 100% of missions are failing because of the restrictions,” the official said.
SpaceX disputed the Ukrainian account, denying that it had introduced any new limitations to Starshield.
“This is false. There has been no change,” the company told Axios.
The latest allegations follow a warning from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said on November 12 that Ukrainian military units had again experienced significant disruptions to Starshield operations along the front line and across Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory.
According to Zelenskyy, the satellite communications system is once again subject to a speed threshold of 161 kilometers per hour (100 mph), preventing drones and other connected equipment from maintaining satellite connectivity when traveling above that speed.
The restriction is particularly problematic for Ukrainian interceptor drones, which must reach higher speeds to engage incoming Russian jet-powered Shahed attack drones. Zelenskyy warned that the limitations have already complicated interception efforts, allowing some Russian strikes to penetrate Ukraine’s defenses.
Ukrainian military personnel have investigated the disruptions, Zelenskyy said, concluding that “these are not random errors but systematic speed restrictions.”
The reported problems mark the second such incident in recent weeks. Ukrainian officials previously raised concerns about similar Starshield limitations in October, when satellite connectivity reportedly became unavailable for equipment traveling faster than approximately 160 kilometers per hour. The service was subsequently restored on October 24.
Starshield is the military-focused version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite communications network, designed for government and defense applications. Unlike commercial Starlink, which Ukraine also uses extensively for battlefield communications and logistics, Starshield supports specialized military operations, including drone reconnaissance and interception.
Earlier, reports emerged that Russia has begun using its Rassvet satellite communications network for military operations over Ukraine, potentially allowing its drones to adjust flight paths in real time and operate with greater resistance to Ukrainian electronic warfare systems.
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