White House reportedly limited Starshield
The gist
Reuters reported the order to slow SpaceX's Starshield for Ukraine came from inside the White House.
The curbs hit Ukrainian drone missions; a US official denies it.
How it unfolded
- Oct 9, 2026A meeting in Miami with representatives from Ukraine, the US, Europe and the World Bank; Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff told Ukrainian officials the US was frustrated with Kyiv's continued strikes on Russian refineries.
- Oct 12, 2026 -13, 2026Ukrainian military personnel detected a sudden speed restriction on Starlink and Starshield terminals; the system began shutting down when a drone's speed exceeded 160 km/h and, in some cases, 80 km/h.
- Oct 13, 2026 -14, 2026Starshield's operations were unexpectedly restricted; senior Ukrainian officials called the White House, the State Department and the Pentagon.