Zelenskyy says Starlink speed limits in Ukraine are a planned operation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that speed restrictions on Starlink satellite service in Ukraine are a "planned operation," hampering the country's war effort by preventing some drones from intercepting high-speed Russian Shahed drones. Zelenskyy said a test showed Starlink-equipped vehicles operated normally at speeds over 180 km/h in European Union countries, while the service remains deactivated in Ukraine at speeds over 160 km/h. He added that no one from SpaceX or the military level is responding to Ukraine's inquiries about the restrictions. The restrictions have intensified concerns about Ukraine's reliance on the U.S.-owned satellite system amid tensions with Washington. The European Union is under pressure to provide an alternative, though negotiations over the Govsatcom program have stalled and the EU's planned IRIS² network is not expected until 2030.