Ukraine Has Lost Drones Worth Over $1 Million Due to Starshield Restrictions – NYT

The Ukrainian military lost drones worth more than $1 million and was forced to suspend combat operations for nearly three days due to sudden restrictions on the Starshield satellite system.

The disruptions were caused by SpaceX imposing a speed limit, beyond which the terminals lost connection. The Ukrainian side was not warned about the changes, which led to the crash of heavy strike drones and hampered the operation of interceptor drones against enemy drones. Ukrainian officials speculate that these restrictions are linked to the stance of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration regarding strikes on Russian oil refineries.

The New York Times reports on this.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the restrictions on Starlink’s operation for Ukrainian military drones in an interview with Piers Morgan. According to him, this could lead to significant casualties.

American entrepreneur Elon Musk explained who makes decisions regarding the use of the Starshield military satellite system. His statement came after reports of communication disruptions during the operation of Ukrainian drones.

In the U.S., SpaceX owner Elon Musk stated that decisions regarding speed limits or how StarShield systems are used are made by the U.S. Armed Forces, with President Donald Trump having the final say.