WASHINGTON — Ukraine says restrictions affecting its use of SpaceX’s Starshield satellite communications system remain widespread, hampering the military’s ability to intercept Russian jet-powered attack drones near the front line and giving Moscow additional opportunities to strike Ukrainian targets.
Denys Sienik, Ukraine’s top diplomat in Washington, told RFE/RL on November 14 that Ukrainian forces continue to experience disruptions despite repeated tests in multiple directions.
“As of today, I can confirm that the restrictions are effective. These are not isolated cases; they are widespread,” Sienik said.
“Because of this, we can intercept Russian jet-powered UAVs only after they enter the territory controlled by Ukraine. Hence, we can’t shoot them down immediately near the front line. This gives Russians more leverage which they haven’t had so far.”
“For example, our Bars units operate using Starshield. They shoot down jet-powered Shaheds. Now we can’t shoot them down there, near the front line,” he said. Instead, Ukrainian forces must wait until the drones reach other defensive lines.
Sienik said the disruptions had persisted for five days, with Ukrainian officials conducting daily tests and obtaining the same results.
SpaceX Denies Restrictions
According to Ukrainian officials who spoke to RFE/RL on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, SpaceX told the ministry: “We are not imposing any restrictions.”
The company referred to technical issues but did not respond to a follow-up question about the situation in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, the Ukrainian officials said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also challenged SpaceX’s explanation, saying Kyiv does not believe the disruptions are simply technical problems.
Zelenskyy said Starshield terminals operating in temporarily Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories had been subject to speed restrictions of approximately 161 kilometers per hour for five days.
He said the restrictions had political implications, arguing that limiting the service in occupied territories risked treating those areas differently from the rest of Ukraine.
“If you impose restrictions there, you are already partially recognizing the temporarily occupied territories as not ours,” Zelenskyy said in remarks released by his office on November 14.
He said he had instructed senior military and foreign ministry officials to pursue the issue with SpaceX and seek the restoration of unrestricted service.
The latest dispute follows a similar episode in October, when Ukrainian officials reported that SpaceX had limited the speed of Starlink and Starshield terminals to approximately 160 kph. Service was reportedly restored on October 24.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk has maintained that Starshield is controlled by the US government, with the military determining restrictions on speed and use and the final authority resting with President Donald Trump. Trump has denied involvement in the restrictions.
Democrats Seek Answers
The disruptions have also drawn growing concern in Washington, where lawmakers from both parties have questioned the extent of private control over communications systems used in Ukraine’s defense.
Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Chris Coons, both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have formally asked Musk to preserve all records related to restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starlink and Starshield.
In a letter made public on November 13, the senators requested documents and communications dating back to September 1, including exchanges involving Musk, SpaceX executives, Ukrainian officials, the White House, and the Pentagon.
Elon Musk.
They also asked Musk to confirm by November 30 that appropriate safeguards were in place.
Democratic lawmakers in the House also condemned reports of renewed limitations.
Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said any restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Starshield in occupied territories and along the line of contact would be unacceptable if confirmed.
They argued that previous limitations had contributed to Ukrainian civilian casualties, including the deaths of children, and strengthened Russia’s position.
The lawmakers pledged to continue pressing for answers and accountability.
Experts Warn Of Dependence
The dispute has renewed questions about Ukraine’s dependence on a single private company for critical military communications.
Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Amos Fox, a fellow at Arizona State University’s Future Security Initiative, told RFE/RL that the situation illustrates the risks of relying on a single provider for essential military capabilities.
“A challenger to Musk’s dominance of this space would help insulate states like Ukraine from the political games of people like Musk,” Fox said.
A musician plays in a dark underpass in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv during a power outage on November 14 caused by Russian attacks on energy facilities in the country.
He also pointed to the influence that individuals outside government can exercise over national security decisions when states depend heavily on their companies and resources.
Paul Poast of the University of Chicago questioned whether the disruptions could be explained by technical problems alone.
While acknowledging that technology outages can occur, Poast told RFE/RL that he doubted the Starshield disruption was simply a glitch.
He noted Musk’s previous comments that an earlier slowdown resulted from SpaceX’s interpretation of its terms of service and questioned whether the latest disruptions could be connected to diplomatic efforts involving Ukraine and Russia.
Poast raised the possibility that the disruptions could have served as an indirect means of increasing pressure on Kyiv during negotiations, although he offered no evidence establishing such a connection.
Dispute Amid Talks
The Starshield dispute comes as the Trump administration seeks to advance negotiations to end Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, with questions over territorial concessions and European security remaining contentious.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — Trump’s son-in-law — said they remained in contact with Moscow, Kyiv, and European partners following trilateral discussions.
In a social media statement on November 14, Kushner said the next phase of negotiations would focus on facilitating direct engagement between Russia and European governments and preparing another round of trilateral talks.
He said several new ideas were being explored and stressed that any eventual agreement must include credible security guarantees for Ukraine.
“President Trump will only support arrangements that strengthen Ukraine’s and Europe’s security and make future conflict less likely,” Kushner wrote.
US Senator Tom Cotton.
His comments followed criticism from Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who rejected reported Russian demands that NATO withdraw forces from Eastern Europe.
“NATO nations withdrawing from their own borders is a preposterous demand by Russia,” Cotton said, adding that Moscow would stop fighting only when it understood it could not win.
European leaders have also warned against pressuring Kyiv into territorial concessions.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on November 14 that countries seeking to limit assistance to Ukraine were effectively trying to impose an unjust peace, warning that such an approach could lead to another war.
The White House and Pentagon had not responded to requests for comment on the latest Starshield disruptions as of late November 14.
