White House ordered limits on Ukraine's satellite system

The White House ordered limits on a satellite system used by Ukraine for battlefield communications and drone operations, according to two US officials and one Western official. The directive reduced the performance of SpaceX's Starshield service, which is used by the Ukrainian military. Defense Department leaders were instructed to degrade the service, though sources did not specify who in the White House made the decision or implemented it. Ukrainian officials reported that military Starlink receivers stopped working on fast-moving objects, hampering drone guidance, though they resumed functioning at speeds up to 100 mph. The restriction comes as President Donald Trump pressures Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian refineries, which he blames for energy price increases. A senior US official denied the president made such a request, while relations between Kyiv and Washington have deteriorated following a recent Miami meeting.