According to insiders, the US government has ordered Starlink throttling for Ukraine
The order to throttle the satellite system used by Ukraine reportedly came from the White House.
Quick Look
- According to the White House, the order to throttle the US Starshield satellite system used by Ukraine for drone operations came from the US government.
- Ukrainian authorities had complained about restrictions on fast-flying drones.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
SpaceX's Starshield satellite system is being developed for government and military customers such as the US Department of Defense and uses the Starlink constellation.
According to insiders, the instruction to throttle the US Starshield satellite system used by Ukraine for battlefield communications and drone operations, the military function of Starlink, came from the White House. Defense Department leadership has received notice that SpaceX's Starshield service to the Ukrainian military needs to be slowed down.
Two U.S. officials familiar with the matter and another Western official did not say who in the White House made the decision or who was responsible for its implementation.
Ukrainian government officials announced this week that military Starlink receivers on fast-flying Ukrainian drones suddenly stopped working. This affected attacks against Russian troops in occupied areas and the shooting down of Russian Shahed drones.
On Thursday, a person in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said the receivers were now working again during the flight, but only up to speeds of 100 miles per hour.
The temporary restriction on Starshield came as President Donald Trump pressured Kiev to stop attacks on Russian refineries. He blames them for soaring energy prices that are clouding his Republican Party's prospects in the November midterm elections. According to experts, however, the increase in energy costs is primarily a consequence of the US-Israeli war with Iran. This resulted in Iranian attacks on energy facilities and largely paralyzed the important Strait of Hormuz.
In response to a request for comment on the order to restrict Starshield, a senior U.S. official said: "The president has never given such an order." The White House did not respond to questions about whether other administration officials might have given the order.
Starshield was developed by SpaceX specifically for government and national security customers, particularly the U.S. Department of Defense. Starshield uses the Starlink constellation as a base.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Wednesday on The company, the US Department of Defense and the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington have not yet commented on the report.
Open Questions
- Who in the White House made the decision?
- How long should Starshield throttling last?
