Zelensky Says Starshield Restrictions Remain as 105 US Congressmen Demand Ukraine’s Access Be Restored

President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Friday, Nov. 13, that US-operated Starshield restrictions remain in place along Ukraine’s front line and across Russian-occupied territory, hampering Ukrainian drone defenses even as 105 members of the US House of Representatives demanded that the Trump administration and SpaceX immediately restore full access to the satellite system. In his evening address, Zelensky said Ukraine’s defense minister and commander-in-chief had confirmed that speed restrictions were continuing to undermine efforts to intercept Russian jet-powered Shahed drones.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “Unfortunately, these speed restrictions remain in place along the entire front line and in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine,” Zelensky said. “Temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory is ours. Our sovereign territory. And speed restrictions there are a very bad signal.” He warned that the limitations were preventing Ukrainian interceptor drones from operating at the speeds needed to counter Russian attacks. “This limits our ability to intercept jet-powered Shaheds and counter other drones,” he said. Zelensky also warned that the restrictions could signal to Moscow that Washington was treating Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory differently from the rest of the country. He called on Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and Foreign Ministry to work with relevant US authorities to restore unrestricted operations. Other Topics of Interest The advisers will join technical-level negotiations, while Europe has yet to name the leaders who would speak for it, a senior European official said. 105 US congressmen demand answers from Trump and SpaceX Pressure is mounting in Washington, where the bipartisan Congressional Ukraine Caucus, speaking on behalf of 105 members of the House of Representatives, demanded an explanation for the renewed restrictions and immediate restoration of Ukraine’s full Starshield capabilities. In a statement published Thursday, Nov. 12, the caucus called on President Donald Trump’s administration and Elon Musk’s SpaceX to explain how and why the restrictions were imposed. “On behalf of the 105 Members of the Bipartisan Congressional Ukraine Caucus, we are demanding a full accounting from the Trump Administration and SpaceX on how and why this occurred and immediate action to restore full access to Starshield,” the caucus said. Congressman Don Bacon, a Republican, separately condemned the restrictions, warning that they were costing Ukrainian lives and benefiting Moscow. “These actions aid the war criminal Putin,” Bacon wrote, calling for congressional scrutiny to determine who was responsible. The caucus’s intervention followed a separate bipartisan demand from Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Senator Thom Tillis, who warned that restricting Ukraine’s satellite communications endangered both Ukrainian civilians and American personnel. In a joint statement, the senators called on the Trump administration and SpaceX to immediately restore Ukraine’s capabilities. “Congress must determine who ordered or approved these disruptions and hold those responsible accountable,” they said. The senators also demanded that the Pentagon and SpaceX preserve records, contracts and communications relevant to the restrictions. “A just and lasting peace requires pressure on Putin, not cutting off Ukraine’s defenses,” they said. SpaceX denies changes as Ukraine reports widespread mission failures Starshield is the military version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite communications system, used by Ukrainian forces for reconnaissance, drone operations and air defense. The renewed restrictions reportedly prevent connected equipment from maintaining service when traveling faster than 161 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour). This is particularly damaging to Ukrainian interceptor drones, which require high-speed communications to pursue Russia’s increasingly sophisticated jet-powered Shaheds. As Kyiv Post reported, an unnamed Ukrainian official told Axios that the share of affected drone missions failing because of restrictions had increased from 10% to 50% and then to 100% over three days. Sources in Ukraine’s Defense Ministry told Kyiv Post that specialists had detected the 161 kph restriction throughout Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, but not in Ukrainian-controlled areas. SpaceX has denied making changes to Starshield. “This is false. There has been no change,” the company told Axios. The latest disruption follows a similar episode in October, when Ukrainian forces reported restrictions on military satellite communications that affected interceptor drones and other operations. Service was subsequently restored, but neither SpaceX nor the US government publicly accepted responsibility for the interruption. Restrictions raise concerns amid US-Russia peace negotiations The disruptions have also raised concerns in Kyiv over their timing, as Washington intensifies negotiations with Russia over ending the war. Senior Ukrainian officials told the Financial Times that they suspected the renewed restrictions could be intended to pressure Ukraine during US-mediated peace negotiations. One official suggested the move could strengthen Moscow’s negotiating position. The renewed limitations emerged shortly before US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday. Zelensky has said Ukrainian military specialists consider the disruptions systematic rather than random technical failures. The president has repeatedly called on Washington to clarify the situation. EU calls restrictions ‘unacceptable’ as Russian attacks continue The European Commission has also expressed concern about the reported restrictions. EU technology spokesperson Thomas Regnier said the disruptions were “deeply concerning” and, if confirmed, “unacceptable.” He called for the urgent restoration of Starshield services so Ukraine could protect its troops, civilians and territory. The controversy comes as Russia continues striking Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. On Friday, a Russian drone struck the Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics in central Kyiv, injuring three people and forcing the evacuation of patients. 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