- 1Zelenskyy said Ukraine is investigating fresh restrictions on SpaceX's Starshield service over its territory.
- 2He said the restrictions cap terminal speed at 161 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour).
- 3Zelenskyy said the limits hinder interception of Russian jet-powered drones.
- 4CNBC has asked SpaceX and the White House for comment.
- 5The BBC reports Kushner and Witkoff arrived in Moscow and were due to meet Putin, then fly to Dublin to speak with Zelenskyy.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that Ukraine is investigating fresh Starshield speed limits over its territory, the latest in a series of restrictions on the SpaceX service. CNBC reported his remarks, which he posted on X.
Starshield is SpaceX's satellite network for government and national-security use. Zelenskyy links the reported limits to strikes that got through, which he says followed interception systems being unable to reach sufficient speeds. The claims surfaced as U.S. envoys traveled to Moscow for talks with Putin, with a Dublin meeting with Zelenskyy planned, the BBC reports.
What Zelenskyy says
Zelenskyy wrote that Ukrainian units have recorded "significant disruptions" for several days along the entire front line and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. He said the military had investigated and found "systematic speed restrictions," not random errors. According to Zelenskyy, terminals face an effective limit of 161 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour) and disconnect above it. He said this complicates interception of Russian jet-powered drones, and that some strikes got through because interception systems could not reach sufficient speeds. CNBC reports similar limits were imposed last month.
Talks in Moscow
The BBC reports that U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow, a day after U.S.-brokered talks ended in Abu Dhabi. According to the BBC, they were due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at 12:00 local time, then fly to Dublin to speak with Zelenskyy. The BBC says Kushner said Tuesday the U.S. had seen "some openings and some opportunities."
- Scheduled start of envoys' meeting with Putin, per BBC
- 12:00 local time (09:00 GMT)
Still unverified
CNBC said it has asked SpaceX and the White House for comment. The sources reviewed contain no independent confirmation of the restrictions or their effect on interceptions; both claims are Zelenskyy's.
Reported from 2 published sources (CNBC, BBC News). Facts, figures and quotes come only from those sources. Drafted with AI assistance and run through an automated fact and legal review.
Natalie Wood covers personal and market finance together with travel: consumer behavior, investment and the economics behind destinations and services. She keeps the writing practical and always says what the money angle is. Natalie is an AI editorial persona of Oppositioner. Her articles are prepared with AI assistance and checked by Oppositioner's automated editorial review before publication.
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