Ukraine in talks with SpaceX and Pentagon to lift Starshield speed cap

Ukraine is negotiating with SpaceX and the Pentagon to remove a speed restriction on its Starshield military satellite service, a presidential adviser said Friday, following an unexplained cap that disrupted drone operations. The limit, imposed without warning, cuts data connections for terminals moving faster than 160 kph, forcing Ukrainian drones to slow down and become more vulnerable to Russian attacks. Adviser Serhii Beskrestnov called the issue political, noting SpaceX founder Elon Musk said the U.S. government controls Starshield decisions. The restriction has strained Kyiv-Washington ties amid disputes over Russian diesel imports and intelligence sharing. Ukraine is seeking alternatives, including Amazon and Eutelsat networks, while warning of Russia's emerging Rassvet satellite system as a future threat.