160 kph: The Speed Limit Costing Ukraine Lives

For Ukrainians, the immediate impact of new satellite restrictions is a drop in visibility during attacks. Officials state that their country can no longer track missiles or drones traveling faster than 160 kilometers per hour. This gap in intelligence has made it harder to repel incoming Russian strikes. As a result, civilian deaths have increased, including among children, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The loss of tracking capability leaves cities more exposed to rapid threats.

Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the situation from Istanbul on Friday. He stated that the decision to curb access to Starshield is directly costing lives. Carney questioned the judgment of those who made the call. He described the situation as concerning and noted that the restrictions are having real human consequences. He specifically pointed to a recent attack in central Kyiv that occurred within the previous 36 hours. He called it a direct strike on citizens with no military target, highlighting the immense suffering involved.

The restrictions involve Starshield, the military version of the Starlink satellite system. This network is owned by SpaceX, which is run by Elon Musk. Ukraine uses Starshield to track incoming missiles and jet-powered drones. It also helps guide interceptor and spy drones. Meanwhile, the commercial Starlink system handles critical internal communications for the country. The loss of the military-grade component has disrupted Ukraine's defense operations significantly.

Responsibility for the curbs remains unclear. Reports from Reuters cited two U.S. officials who said the order came from the White House. The Wall Street Journal later reported that Musk ordered the restriction personally. Musk maintains that Starshield is controlled by the U.S. government. He said the U.S. military and President Donald Trump decide on such restrictions. Trump has denied ordering the move. On Friday, he said he did not know who was responsible and would not say even if he did.

Confusion continues over the current status of the link. Trump said on Thursday that Musk had restored access. Zelenskyy contradicted this in a CNN interview, stating that it still does not work. Ukrainian military officials confirmed on Friday that the restrictions remain in place. In an NBC interview, Zelenskyy suggested that the U.S. government sent a message to limit speed, which SpaceX then implemented technically. This disagreement highlights the ongoing friction between the two sides.

The move arrives at a low point in relations between Kyiv and Washington. Trump is pushing Ukraine to accept stronger concessions in a peace deal. He has also pressed Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries. However, Starshield is not used for those specific drones because it does not operate over Russian territory. Carney noted that relying on an ally that may change its view puts Canadians at risk. He said this realization drives Canada to build sovereign capabilities. He warned that this process will take time because Canada is currently highly reliant on certain foreign systems.

Ukraine is already moving to reduce its dependence on the U.S. network. On Thursday, Zelenskyy signed a letter of intent with Finnish companies Nokia and ICEYE. The goal is to develop a Ukrainian satellite communications network. This step aims to create an alternative system that can operate independently of the current U.S. infrastructure.