White House ordered limits on Starshield for Ukraine, sources say
The White House ordered a slowdown of SpaceX's Starshield satellite service for Ukraine's military, according to two US officials and a Western official, impacting Ukrainian drone operations and battlefield communications. The directive was communicated to Defense Department leaders, though the specific White House official behind it remains unidentified. Ukrainian officials reported that military-grade Starlink receptors initially failed on fast-moving objects, later working only up to 100 mph, complicating strike missions and interceptor drone operations. The restriction follows US pressure on Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian refineries, amid deteriorating relations and threats to withhold intelligence. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stated the US government controls Starshield, while a senior US official denied the president made the request.