Elon Musk’s SpaceX imposes stunning restrictions on Ukraine that could have deadly consequences

By Fox News · Fox News

Ukraine is urgently pressing Elon Musk’s SpaceX to reverse new restrictions on its Starshield satellite service that Kyiv warns could hamper its ability to intercept Russian attack drones and conduct other military operations, a source familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital. The restrictions were imposed without advance warning despite Ukraine relying on the service under arrangements contracted through the U.S. government meant to last until May 15, 2027, according to the source. Ukrainian forces discovered the change overnight after experiencing connectivity problems and contacting SpaceX customer support. They were told Starshield service would be restricted on platforms traveling at speeds of 100 miles per hour or higher, the source said. RUSSIA MAY BE USING HIDDEN 'LUNCHBOX-SIZE' DRONE DEVICES TO COUNTER UKRAINE DEFENSES: EXPERT Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on defense technology, warned that the change could particularly hamper Ukraine’s efforts to intercept Russia’s newer, jet-powered Shahed attack drones, saying it threatened "one of our few chances to defend the country" against them. Ukrainian forces have also begun documenting effects on the battlefield. Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps said one unmanned systems unit on the Huliaipole front had already been forced to cancel missions because of connectivity problems. The unit reported interruptions even while drones were traveling below the stated 100 mph threshold. Starshield is SpaceX's national security satellite service, based on technology developed for the company's better-known Starlink network. The change could affect Ukrainian drones , aircraft and helicopters that rely on Starshield connectivity while moving at high speeds, including drones used to intercept Russian Shahed attacks. Ukrainian units are already reporting performance problems at speeds below the stated threshold, according to the source. UKRAINE SEEKS MORE US PATRIOT INTERCEP…