The White House has ordered the Pentagon to slow down the operation of SpaceX's Starshield military satellite system, which the Ukrainian Defense Forces use to communicate and control drones. In particular, the equipment has been set speed limits that complicate the operation of the Ukrainian UAV's onboard guidance systems.
The White House has ordered the Pentagon to slow down the operation of SpaceX's Starshield military satellite system, which the Ukrainian Defense Forces use to communicate and control drones. In particular, the equipment has been set speed limits that complicate the operation of the Ukrainian UAV's onboard guidance systems.
Reuters reports this, citing three officials familiar with the matter. According to them, the decision was made against the backdrop of US pressure on Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian oil refineries. At the same time, a senior American official, in a comment to the publication, denied that such a request came directly from the US president.
Due to the restrictions introduced, Starlink terminals have ceased to function on objects moving at high speed. According to a representative of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, now the receivers work while moving only at speeds up to 160 km/h . This directly affected the effectiveness of strike operations against the occupiers, and also slowed down the work of interceptor drones that shoot down enemy "Shaheeds".
Sources say the US administration is linking the Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries to rising energy prices. However, analysts say the price spike is primarily due to the escalation in the Middle East and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Starshield is a specialized military modification of the Starlink satellite system , which SpaceX is developing for the government and defense needs of the United States. The Pentagon is the largest customer of this service, from where the equipment and communication services are transferred to the Ukrainian military.
