Overview
- Ukrainian officials say a sudden reduction in Starlink/Starshield speeds left interceptor drones unable to catch fast Russian attack drones, worsening civilian losses during large strikes.
- Reporting from Reuters and The Telegraph tied the slowdown to actions linked to the White House and to discussions between Elon Musk and President Trump, but both men have publicly denied sole responsibility.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said service is being restored but not yet back to previous speed limits, and Ukrainian technical teams remain in contact with partners to regain full capability.
- A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has asked the Defense Department’s Office of Inspector General to investigate how Pentagon or White House actions may have contributed to the disruption.
- European officials and lawmakers are pressing to reduce dependency on SpaceX by accelerating access to the EU’s Govsatcom program and development of IRIS², while noting Starshield is a U.S. government–controlled military layer distinct from commercial Starlink.