Starshield Missions Face 100% Failure Rate in Ukraine – Axios

All affected Starshield drone missions in Ukraine are failing, an unnamed Ukrainian official told Axios on Thursday, Nov. 12.Sources in Ukraine’s Defense Ministry told Kyiv Post on Friday, Nov. 13, that specialists were recording a 161 kph (100 mph) Starshield limit across all Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.No restrictions had been detected in Ukrainian-controlled areas, the sources said.The ministry has been communicating with SpaceX to obtain explanations and resolve the issue, while also seeking clarification from the US Department of Defense.Zelensky said in a Friday Telegram update that he had instructed Ukraine’s foreign and defense ministries to intensify contacts with the US State Department, Pentagon and SpaceX. He said clear explanations were still lacking and that restrictions along the front line and in occupied areas were preventing the use of interceptors against Russian jet-powered Shahed drones.SpaceX has disputed Ukrainian reports that it changed the service.“This is false. There has been no change,” the company’s media relations department told Ars Technica on Nov. 12.The dispute concerns a communications service critical to Ukraine’s drone operations. SpaceX describes Starshield as a system designed for government and national security customers, built using Starlink technology and the company’s launch capabilities. Its stated functions include secure communications, Earth observation and carrying government payloads. Other Topics of Interest Russia and Ukraine have agreed in Abu Dhabi to a major prisoner exchange, brokered by the US. Why the 161 kph limit mattersZelensky warned of renewed restrictions on Nov. 12, saying the operating limit had returned to 161 kph (100 mph), including in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.The restriction concerns the speed at which connected equipment can travel. For Ukrainian interceptor drones pursuing Russian jet-powered Shaheds, maintaining communications at higher speeds is essential.“Because of the speed restrictions, we simply cannot catch up with them in time,” Zelensky said during his address to the European Political Community summit in Dublin on Thursday.He said Ukraine could not use aircraft near the front line and depended on drone interceptors in those areas. Without sufficient speed, more Russian attack drones could get through, putting civilians at greater risk.Zelensky said Kyiv has been seeking details from Washington but received little information.He also discussed the disruptions with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Nov. 12, alongside Ukraine’s need for additional air defense missiles. The presidential readout said Russia had launched 115 missiles of various types during the first week of November, adding pressure on Ukraine’s defenses.October disruptions ended with service restoredThe latest complaints follow a similar episode that began on Oct. 14, when Ukrainian defense ministry sources reported unexpected restrictions affecting military satellite connections.The sources told Kyiv Post that Ukraine had received no advance warning. Interceptor and medium-range strike missions were affected, alongside frontline logistics, reconnaissance and communications relay operations.The ministry contacted the US, SpaceX and NATO allies while gathering reports from military units and checking backup communications channels.By Oct. 23, Ukrainian officials were still recording connectivity losses at 161 kph, despite public suggestions that the problem had been resolved.On Oct. 24, defense specialists confirmed that terminals were again functioning above that threshold. Zelensky subsequently announced that Starlink and Starshield operations had returned to the speeds available before the restrictions.He said tests had confirmed the services were working and stressed their importance for frontline logistics and defending against jet-powered drones.US senators demand restoration and oversightThe renewed complaints prompted US Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis to demand that Starshield capabilities be restored.In a joint statement on Nov. 12, the senators said the reported restrictions were undermining Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian drones and endangering Ukrainian civilians.They also pledged further congressional oversight of the issue.The senators had already led a bipartisan request for a Pentagon inspector general investigation following the October disruptions. Their earlier letter questioned whether actions by the Defense Department or its contractors had contributed to the problems and raised concerns about contractual oversight and continuity of service.The inspector general’s office subsequently declined to open an investigation. A spokesperson told Ars Technica that the matters were better addressed by the department, while leaving open the possibility of reconsidering if new information emerged.Ukraine seeks a new Starshield agreementThe disruptions also come as Kyiv seeks to renew its agreement with Washington for access to Starshield.Denys Sienik, Ukraine’s chargé d’affaires in the United States, told reporters on Nov. 5 that the existing contract would expire around mid-2027 and negotiations needed to begin well in advance.Speaking before the latest reported disruptions, Sienik said Ukraine still lacked an explanation for the October incident.He also said Kyiv was examining alternatives and backup systems, including Ukrainian capabilities and European projects. However, he said there was currently no effective alternative to the low-Earth-orbit satellite service. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. 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