Zelenskyy Says 161 km/h Starlink Cap Hinders Ukraine Drone Defense as U.S. Disputes Starshield Claim
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Oct 18
Zelenskyy Says 161 km/h Starlink Cap Hinders Ukraine Drone Defense as U.S. Disputes Starshield Claim
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Oct 18
Summary
Zelenskyy said Starlink in Ukraine cuts off after 161 km/h, leaving forces unable to use it against jet-powered Shahed drones and causing losses of both drones and connectivity.
Ukraine says the restriction has not been clearly explained: Zelenskyy said U.S. officials cited technical issues, but Kyiv was still awaiting answers from the Pentagon and SpaceX on whether full speeds had been restored.
Rubio rejected any deliberate U.S. slowdown and said Ukraine has never had Starshield access, only Starlink; he said Starshield remains a U.S. military product and any Ukrainian use is still under discussion.
The dispute comes as Russia hit more than 15 Ukrainian energy facilities and as tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy deepen over sanctions, energy prices and the broader course of the war.