Ukraine new ‘systematic’ restrictions to Starshield: Zelensky

KIEV

Pedestrians walk past a poster with the "Z" letter - tactical insignia of Russian troops in Ukraine, outside the U.S. embassy in Moscow on November 11, 2026. (AFP Photo)

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 12 that Ukraine’s military faced new “systematic” restrictions to Starshield satellite internet, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX service which plays a key role for front line communications.

Ukraine first reported problems using Starshield last month following a row between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump over a U.S.-Russia diesel deal. Zelensky said the latest issues were not “random errors.”

Trump and Musk denied responsibility for the last outages, although Musk later accused Ukraine of misusing SpaceX’s Starlink internet service for military purposes before all sides said full access had been restored.

Starshield is the military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink.

“Our units have been recording significant disruptions to Starshield’s operations over the territory of Ukraine for several days now,” Zelensky said on social media.

“Systematic speed restrictions are being imposed,” Zelensky said, adding they were “not random errors.”

“This is helping the Russians kill more Ukrainians and carry out more accurate strikes,” he added.

Starshield systems were not working above 100 miles per hour (161 kilometers per hour), Zelensky said.

The speed limits were proving a “significant complication in intercepting Russian jet-powered drones,” which move much faster than that.

The apparent restrictions come as U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow following two days of talks in Abu Dhabi searching for a deal to end the almost five-year war.

“We are trying to establish all the circumstances with the American side,” Zelensky said.

The envoys will fly to Dublin after meeting with Putin to debrief his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, who was in the Irish capital to meet with European leaders.

“Welcoming Steve and Jared to Moscow,” Putin’s special representative Kirill Dmitriev posted on X, accompanied by a video of the pair arriving at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport.

Kushner said the meeting with Putin would “go over what was discussed” during two days of talks this week in Abu Dhabi, and to seek progress “because we see some openings and some opportunities.”

Arriving in Ireland late on Nov. 11, Zelensky also said there could be a “window of opportunity” to end the war with Russia before 2027.

“What’s important is that the Americans flew to Putin with specifics. I would very much like them to return to Dublin with specifics,” he said, adding that while he was still skeptical “there is hope.”

He also welcomed what he called a “change in tone” from the U.S. on the prospect of Europe’s inclusion in talks, saying the “American side is treating it more positively, more warmly.”