Ukraine still unable to intercept Russian drones due to Starlink restrictions, Zelenskyy says
Updated on: October 17, 2026 / 10:48 PM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- Ukraine cannot use Starshield, an upgraded Starlink military version, to intercept Russian drones due to speed restrictions.
- Starshield reportedly functions at lower speeds in Ukraine (161 km/h) compared to the EU (180+ km/h).
- Ukrainian officials have engaged in dialogue with U.S. officials and SpaceX regarding the restrictions.
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Starshield is a U.S. military product not available to Ukraine, and Ukraine has only used Starlink.
- Rubio denied U.S. responsibility for any Starlink speed slowdowns, suggesting it was not deliberate and has since been restored.
- SpaceX has not confirmed the restoration of unlimited speeds or Starshield's full functionality to Ukraine.
- Mr. Trump stated he did not limit Ukraine's Starlink access and believes it's the same as always.
- Elon Musk indicated that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government, with the U.S. military and POTUS deciding on usage limits.
- Starshield is crucial for Ukraine's armed forces for communication and long-distance drone operations.
- Russia conducted a large attack on Ukraine's energy sector, targeting over 15 critical facilities.
- Zelenskyy previously expressed that the Starshield restrictions made people vulnerable to Russian drones.
- Ukrainian officials and soldiers reported experiencing difficulties with Starshield equipment, including speed limits, starting late Tuesday.
- Sources in Ukraine's Ministry of Defense suggested SpaceX unilaterally imposed the Starshield restrictions.
- Mr. Trump has expressed frustration with Zelenskyy over the war's impact on energy prices and has waived restrictions on buying Russian diesel.
- White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers stated that enforcing current sanctions would impede U.S. efforts to negotiate peace.
- Mr. Trump claimed Ukraine and Russia agreed to an 'energy ceasefire,' which Ukraine later refuted due to ongoing Russian strikes.
- Mr. Trump called Zelenskyy 'not a good guy for us to deal with' and 'harder to deal with than Putin.'