Starshield limits not critical for Ukraine's air defense, expert says

Ukrainian military expert Roman Svitan says the impact of Starshield restrictions on Ukraine's air defense is difficult to assess and depends on the intensity of Russian attacks. He noted that if 80% of drones are intercepted, the remaining 20% could be attributed to the restrictions imposed by Elon Musk, the Pentagon, or Trump. Svitan stated the restrictions are not critical for Ukrainian air defense, as forces continue to shoot down a significant number of Russian targets, achieving an 80-85% destruction rate. Ukraine is transitioning to alternative and duplicate control mechanisms, with the Air Force finding additional management methods, though ballistic missiles remain a major problem. Earlier, Axios reported that Starshield restrictions disrupted 100% of Ukrainian defense missions, as the system is also used for intelligence operations. US senators have demanded that Musk's company preserve all internal documents related to the incident, including communications with the White House and Pentagon since September 1.