President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that the speed restrictions on Ukraine's Starshield network were deliberately imposed on Ukrainian territory, a move that has slowed internet connections across the country.
To verify the limits, Ukraine sent vehicles equipped with Starshield to Europe for speed tests, finding that the equipment operated normally there, which Zelenskyy said confirmed the restrictions were a planned operation by the Ukrainian side.
U.S. President Donald Trump denied ordering any limitations on Ukraine's access to the system, while SpaceX CEO Elon Musk clarified that any speed or usage limits are decided by the U.S. military and ultimately the president.
Starshield remains a critical asset for Ukraine’s air defenses, enabling the interception of jet‑powered drones launched at Kyiv and other cities, and supporting targeted artillery strikes against Russian positions.
With the restrictions still in place, Ukraine will continue to test Starshield speeds abroad and is preparing to lobby the U.S. for the removal of the limits, a move that could restore full network performance for its military operations.