Zelenskyy says SpaceX’s Starshield slowdown is political, not technical

The Guardian reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused SpaceX of misleading the public about the reasons for throttling its Starshield satellite system. Zelenskyy said the speed limits imposed on the system appear to be “political” rather than “technical”. He told reporters on Friday that the restrictions have been in place for five days and are affecting the entire frontline. Under the limits, Ukrainian drones “could no longer fly at speeds of more than 161km/h (100mph)”, and connections at higher speeds are lost. The president said the slowdown is hampering military operations that rely on the satellite network.

Zelenskyy’s comments come as Ukraine continues to depend on commercial satellite services for communications and drone control. The dispute highlights tensions between the Ukrainian government and the private company providing the technology.

Why it matters

The slowdown could degrade Ukraine’s ability to coordinate drone operations on the frontlines, impacting its defence capabilities.

Key details

Location

Ukraine · Europe

Reported by

The Guardian

First reported

14 Nov 2026, 16:35 IST

Key names

Ukraine’s Starshield, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Starshield, Zelenskyy

Section

Technology

Figure cited

They could no longer fly at speeds of more than 161km/h (100mph), he said, with connections at higher speeds lost. (The Guardian)

Sources

This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:

• The GuardianSpaceX not being honest about ‘political’ reasons for slowing Starshield, says Zelenskyy 14 Nov, 16:35

Read the full story at The Guardian ↗

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