00:00Ukraine says renewed speed restrictions on its Starshield satellite system are disrupting
00:04its ability to intercept Russian drones.
00:07President Volodymyr Zelensky said the restrictions have affected operations along the front line
00:12and in Russian-occupied areas for several days.
00:15Starshield is the military version of SpaceX's Starlink service.
00:19It is central to Ukraine's battlefield communications and drone operations.
00:24Zelensky said connectivity was being restricted when equipment moved faster than 161 km an hour.
00:31This limits the speed at which drones can travel while staying connected, not the speed of the
00:36internet connection.
00:37He said the restrictions were making it harder to intercept Russian jet-powered drones.
00:42Some strikes had already got through, he warned, causing further Ukrainian casualties.
00:47Ukraine's military concluded disruptions were systematic, not random technical errors.
00:53Kyiv is trying to establish the circumstances with Washington.
00:57The restrictions were lifted in late October when Ukraine reported stable connections for
01:02equipment moving at speeds above 400 km an hour.
01:06SpaceX Chief Elon Musk has said Starlink is owned and controlled by the US government.
01:11Neither Washington nor SpaceX has publicly accepted responsibility.
01:15Ukraine is seeking to renew its access agreement, which expires in mid-2027.
01:20while exploring alternatives with Finnish companies.
01:24alliram
