A directive placing limits on a satellite network that Ukrainian forces depend on for battlefield coordination and drone operations was attributed to the White House by three people with knowledge of the matter — two holding positions within the federal government and a third connected to a Western allied nation.
Pentagon leadership received written direction to scale back the SpaceX Starshield programme providing satellite services to Ukrainian forces. Those sources, granted anonymity as a precondition for speaking, left unanswered both the question of which White House figure authorised the directive and which person bore responsibility for carrying it out.
Starshield — a military-adapted variant of the Starlink network — counts the Pentagon among its principal procurement clients. Built to serve government and national-security clients, with the US Department of Defence as its primary customer, Starshield emerged from SpaceX's work on dedicated programmes for official use. Built on the Starlink constellation's infrastructure, Starshield draws on that satellite network as its operational foundation.
Kyiv's defence authorities disclosed this week that Starlink terminals built to military specifications lost connectivity aboard fast-moving platforms, a failure that undermined the guidance capability of drone systems operating across the country. According to a source within Ukraine's Defence Ministry, the receptors had become operational while in motion, though their functionality topped out at 160 kph.
According to statements from Ukrainian authorities, the limitations placed on weapons use hampered attack operations against Russian troops and supply networks in territory under occupation, while also reducing the effectiveness of interceptor drones tasked with neutralising incoming Shahed unmanned aerial vehicles.
The temporary suspension of the communications network followed calls from Trump for Kyiv to halt drone and missile strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, with the president having linked those attacks to rising fuel costs and their potential effect on his party's performance in the upcoming midterm vote. Some analysts attribute the rise in energy prices to the military confrontation between the United States, Israel, and Iran, pointing to strikes on energy infrastructure and a reported restriction of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz as contributing factors.
When asked about any directive to restrict Starshield, a senior administration official stated that no such order had come from the president — while the White House left unanswered questions about whether others within the administration might have initiated the request.
Posting on X that Wednesday, Musk — who leads SpaceX as its chief executive — noted that Starshield infrastructure falls under direct government ownership and control, meaning decisions about speed caps or usage restrictions rest with the US military or whoever holds the presidency. No comment came from SpaceX when the outlet sought a response. Neither the Pentagon nor the Ukrainian embassy in Washington returned calls or messages seeking comment.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Ukrainian officials placed calls to counterparts at the White House, the State Department, and the Pentagon, seeking clarity on the decision to limit their access to the Starshield network. According to an official within Ukraine's government, the decision had been conveyed to Kyiv as one originating from the White House.
