Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Friday that speed restrictions on the US Starshield satellite communications system persist along the 'entire front line' and in 'temporarily-occupied territories of Ukraine'. He stated that these continued restrictions impede the Ukrainian military's capacity to operate within the country.
Zelenskyy also said the curbs make it difficult to intercept jet-powered and other drones. He added that they 'send Russia a signal that America may somehow treat our temporarily-occupied land differently'. He expects the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence and Foreign Ministry to address the issue with relevant US structures.
Ukrainian officials had previously indicated in mid-October that Elon Musk's SpaceX had abruptly limited the speed of both Starlink and its military version, Starshield. This occurred amid reported tensions with the US concerning Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. Service was reportedly restored on 24 October.
Separately, Russia attacked a hospital in central Kyiv, injuring three people when a drone struck the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics. Russia also claimed to have shot down nearly 1,200 Ukrainian drones overnight, reporting at least four fatalities in the Volgograd region.