Ukraine Says Starshield Speed Cap Is Back, Hampering Efforts to Intercept Russian Drones

By Sarah Collins | November 12, 2026

Ukraine has reported renewed disruptions to Starshield, the military satellite communications system provided by SpaceX, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying on Thursday, November 12, that its operating speed is again capped at 161 kilometres per hour.

The cap is exactly 100 miles per hour. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian units have been recording significant disruptions across Ukraine for several days, along the entire front line and in Russian-occupied territory, after briefings from Defence Minister Yevhen Khmara and Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi.

"Our units have been recording significant disruptions to Starshield's operations over the territory of Ukraine for several days now," Zelenskyy wrote, after receiving the briefings. "Specifically, systematic Starshield speed restrictions of 161 kilometres per hour are in effect. The Ukrainian military has already checked the circumstances and confirmed that these are not random errors but systematic speed restrictions."

What Starshield is

Starshield is the militarised version of Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet network. It is a secure satellite system intended for government and military customers, based on Starlink technology.

Ukraine widely uses both commercial Starlink terminals and Starshield. For the military, the system carries communications and data for units across the front line, and it is used in drone operations, including the interception of Russian drones.

The speed limit matters because of how the system is used in the air. A Ukrainian commander at corps level fighting in Donetsk Oblast told the Kyiv Independent, on condition of anonymity, that the 160-kilometre-per-hour limit was still in place, making it easier for Russia to intercept or evade Ukrainian drones.

Why the cap matters now

Zelenskyy said the restriction is making it significantly harder for Ukrainian forces to intercept Russian jet-powered drones. Some Russian strikes had already succeeded, he said, because Ukrainian interceptor systems could not reach the necessary speed to catch the targets in time.

That is the same problem Ukraine reported last month. In mid-October, SpaceX implemented a speed cap on Ukraine's Starshield service without warning. Zelenskyy repeatedly said the restrictions remained in place during October 17 to 23, making it harder to intercept Russian jet-powered drones and disrupting logistics.

At the time, Starlink and Starshield equipment stopped working at speeds of 130 to 161 kilometres per hour in various sectors of the front line. The cap was lifted on October 24, when Ukraine's Defence Ministry said service had been restored and reported stable connectivity at speeds above 400 kilometres per hour. This is the second such restriction in a month: the earlier cap lasted from October 14 until October 24.

Presidential adviser Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov said on November 12 that commercial Starlink has a speed restriction of 70 to 90 kilometres per hour and does not work on Russian territory. That is a separate limit from the Starshield cap reported by Zelenskyy.

What Kyiv is doing next

Ukraine is trying to establish what is behind the restrictions with the United States, Zelenskyy said. The Ukrainian side is seeking clarification from Washington about the circumstances, after raising similar concerns last month.

SpaceX, Starlink's parent company, had not commented on the disruptions at the time of publication on November 12, according to the Kyiv Independent.

For Ukraine, the immediate concern is practical rather than diplomatic. If interceptor drones cannot travel fast enough because the satellite link that guides them is capped, Russian jet-powered drones have a better chance of getting through. Last time, it took 10 days for normal speeds to return, and Kyiv will be hoping for a faster answer this time.

Sources: Kyiv Independent, Interfax-Ukraine, Ukrainska Pravda, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy statement on X/Telegram, November 12, 2026. SpaceX had not commented at time of publication.