Order to limit Starshield for Ukraine came from inside White House, sources say
asserted
sources → limit → House
The order to limit a satellite system used by Ukraine for battlefield communications and drone operations came from inside the White House, according to two US officials and a Western official briefed on the matter.
uncertain
order → limit → matter
The officials said leaders at the Defense Department received a message that the SpaceX Starshield service for the Ukrainian military needed to be slowed.
asserted
service → say → military
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not specify who in the White House made the decision or who was responsible for implementing the order.
asserted
who → speak → order
Ukrainian officials said this week that military-grade Starlink receptors stopped working in Ukraine when mounted on fast-moving objects, interfering with the performance of Ukrainian drones that rely on them for onboard guidance systems over Ukrainian territory.
asserted
that → say → territory
A person in Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said on Oct 15 that the receptors were now working when in motion, but only at speeds of up to 160kmh.
asserted
receptors → say → kmh
US pressures Ukraine over refinery attacks
asserted
US → pressure → attacks
The move to temporarily restrict the vital communications system came as US President Donald Trump has pressured Kyiv to stop its attacks on Russian refineries, which he has blamed for the soaring energy prices that are denting his Republican Party’s prospects in the November midterm elections.
asserted
that → restrict → elections
But experts say that surge in energy costs is mainly the result of the US-Israeli war with Iran, which brought Iranian attacks on energy facilities and has largely shut the vital Strait of Hormuz.
asserted
which → say → Hormuz
In response to a request for comment about the order to limit Starshield, a senior US official said: “No such request was ever made by the president.”
asserted
request → limit → president
The White House did not respond to questions about whether other administration officials might have made the request.
uncertain
officials → respond → request
Starshield was developed by SpaceX specifically for government and national-security customers, particularly the US Department of Defense.
asserted
Starshield → develop → Defense
Starshield uses the Starlink constellation as its backbone.
asserted
Starshield → use → backbone
Ukrainian officials said the restrictions complicated strike missions against Russian forces and logistics in occupied territory and slowed interceptor drones used to shoot down incoming Russian Shahed drones.
asserted
restrictions → say → drones
Elon Musk, the chief executive of SpaceX, said on X on Oct 15 that because Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government, any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military or the president.
asserted
limits → say → military
SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment.
asserted
SpaceX → respond → comment
The Department of Defense and the Ukrainian embassy in Washington also did not respond to requests for comment.
asserted
Department → respond → comment
Decline in relations
Relations between Kyiv and Washington have deteriorated in recent days following a meeting in Miami on Oct 9 that convened representatives from both countries as well as Europe and the World Bank.
asserted
that → deteriorate → countries
Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration’s Middle East envoy, struck a tough tone with Ukraine in the meeting, according to a separate person familiar with the matter.
uncertain
son → strike → matter
They told Ukrainian officials that the US was frustrated with Kyiv’s continued strikes on Russian refineries despite repeated requests from Washington to stop.
asserted
US → tell → Washington
The US delegation also explained Washington’s decision to strike a diesel deal with Russia, saying the White House hoped it would soften Moscow’s stance on peace talks.
asserted
it → explain → talks
That deal, under which Russia will supply more than 2.25 million barrels of diesel to US and global markets, has triggered a backlash from some US lawmakers, who say it will give Moscow cash to pursue its war without forcing Russian President Vladimir Putin to make concessions to end the conflict.
asserted
it → supply → conflict
In the days that followed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump criticised each other, with Zelensky calling the US decision on the Russian diesel deal “weak”.
asserted
Zelensky → follow → deal
Trump called for elections in Ukraine and Zelensky’s ouster.
asserted
Trump → call → Ukraine
Behind the scenes, American officials threatened to stop providing intelligence to Kyiv about Russian missile launches that Ukraine uses to thwart attacks, as Reuters previously reported.
asserted
Reuters → threaten → attacks
On Oct 14, Trump said Washington was still sharing intelligence with Ukraine.
asserted
Washington → say → Ukraine
Following the move to restrict Ukraine’s access to Starshield, the Ukrainians made calls on Oct 14-15 to find answers from senior officials at the White House, State Department and Pentagon, a senior Ukrainian official said, adding that Kyiv was told it was a White House decision.
asserted
it → follow → House
The Pentagon has spent billions of dollars on the Starlink and Starshield services.
asserted
Pentagon → spend → services
It has also bought dedicated Starshield satellites, including communications spacecraft for missile-warning missions and a spy constellation for the National Reconnaissance Office, Reuters reported in 2024.
asserted
Reuters → buy → 2024
The Aporia
