Updated

SpaceX imposed speed restrictions (initially 160 km/h, later tightened to around 60-100 km/h) on Starshield/Starlink terminals used by the Ukrainian military, disrupting high-speed drone missions including interceptors used against jet-powered Shahed drones. Ukrainian officials, including former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov and President Zelensky, said the move would cost lives and called it a mistake, while Elon Musk said Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government. Ukraine's Defence Ministry said it is in contact with the US and NATO over the restriction. Service was partially restored later on October 14, with speeds recovering to around 160 km/h, though Ukraine says the cap must be removed entirely. The episode comes amid broader strains in US-Ukraine relations and fears over the reliability of Western-provided technology central to Ukraine's battlefield communications and air defense since 2022.