Starshield speed cut threefold: why and what could replace it

Ukraine reports that the speed of the military Starshield satellite system has been reduced threefold along the front line, a move President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a systemic restriction. Kyiv is seeking answers from Washington, while European leaders have criticized the slowdown. The reduction, from over 400 km/h to 161 km/h, is the second such incident in a month, previously hampering air defense, reconnaissance, and logistics for ten days. SpaceX and the US government have blamed each other, with experts suggesting the move aids Russia's narrative. The EU has offered Ukraine access to its GOVSATCOM system and the future IRIS-2 network, but these lack the capacity of Starlink's 11,000 satellites. Alternatives like OneWeb exist, but experts say no full replacement is currently available.