Starshield speeds drop causes 100% mission failures in Ukraine — Axios
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Starlink at a frontline position in Donetsk Oblast, October 2026 (Photo: REUTERS/Stringer)
Starshield satellite communications speeds in Ukraine have been throttled for three consecutive days, causing 100% of affected military missions to fail, a Ukrainian official told Axios on Nov. 12, though SpaceX denied imposing any restrictions.
"On the first day, the restrictions were 10%, on the second day 50%, and today, because of the limits, 100% of missions are failing," the official stated.
In a comment to Axios, however, SpaceX denied introducing any speed caps.
"That is false. No changes have occurred," SpaceX said.
This marks the second time in recent weeks that Starshield connectivity speeds have been throttled inside Ukraine.
On Nov. 12, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukrainian forces have been recording significant disruptions in the operation of the Starshield satellite system for several days, specifically noting that a speed threshold cap of 161 kilometers per hour (100 mph) is once again in effect.
Zelenskyy explained that the velocity cutoff directly prevents Ukrainian forces from operating high-speed interceptor drones, which cannot reach the necessary airspeed to catch and shoot down incoming Russian Shahed strike drones without losing their satellite datalink.
Ukraine encountered identical restrictions last month. On Oct. 14, Ukrainian authorities reported a sudden drop in connectivity when Starshield terminals cut out at speeds exceeding 160 km/h, disrupting active military drone sorties. Full, unrestricted military satellite service was not restored until Oct. 24.
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