Sudden restrictions on Starshield – SpaceX’s military-grade version of the Starlink satellite internet service and the backbone of Ukraine’s drone operations and communication – alarmed the country’s military and government officials this week, with commanders reporting lost drones and disrupted missions.
The episode added to tensions between Kyiv and Washington, a relationship already strained by President Donald Trump’s reported deal with Moscow on Russian diesel imports, which Ukraine viewed as a betrayal. “The Starshield shutdown was short, lasted only one day, but several drones and other systems were affected. Because communications were cut off,” said Yevhen Karas, the commander of Ukraine’s 413th Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment, known as Raid, which specializes in tactical and deep-strike drone operations, some missions failed, and we lost drones.
By Thursday, some Ukrainian units said their connectivity had returned to normal, though uncertainty remained over what had caused the restrictions.
Starshield is SpaceX’s satellite program for governments and the military. Built on Starlink technology, it is designed for national security missions and includes secure communications, Earth observation and satellites equipped with specialized sensors. It also incorporates additional encryption and security measures for sensitive government operations. Unlike Starlink, Starshield is tailored to government requirements and can include dedicated satellites and special equipment. The U.S. government is a major Starshield customer. His remarks have fueled questions about who was responsible for the latest restrictions affecting Ukraine.
Starshield “is the version where you have much higher speeds, you have better connectivity and it’s not available for civilians; it’s available only for the military,” said Olena Tregub, founder and secretary-general of Ukraine’s Independent Anti-Corruption Commission. SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said this week that the U.S. government owns and controls the system, with decisions about its use resting with the U.S. military and, ultimately, the president.
