While Russian drones attack Ukrainian cities, Washington is interfering with the invaded country's ability to defend itself. The order to restrict the military satellite system Starshield came from the White House, according to two U.S. government officials and a Western official briefed on the matter, whose accounts were consistent. The Pentagon was informed that the connection had to be slowed down. Ukrainian drones subsequently lost their connections at high speeds. Among them were interceptor drones whose job is to shoot Russian Shahed drones out of the sky before they can kill people. While Moscow attacks, Washington is imposing technical limits on Ukraine's defenses. An American decision with potentially deadly consequences.
The restrictions also affected Ukrainian attacks on Russian troops and military supply lines in occupied territories. According to Ukraine's Defense Ministry, the receivers are now working again while in motion, but only at speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour. Above that speed, the connection drops. What may look like a technical restriction in Washington determines whether a drone can carry out its mission in a war. When an incoming explosive device needs to be intercepted, there's no time for diplomatic explanations.
Who issued the order inside the White House remains unclear. A senior U.S. government official explicitly denied that Donald Trump had personally given such an order. The White House left questions about other officials responsible within his administration unanswered. Elon Musk stated that Starshield belongs to the U.S. government. Decisions about restrictions on speed or use are made by the U.S. military or the president. SpaceX did not comment on the allegations. Neither the Pentagon nor the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington responded to inquiries.
The political context makes this especially serious. Trump is demanding that Ukraine stop its attacks on Russian oil refineries. He blames those attacks for rising energy prices that are hurting his Republican Party ahead of the congressional elections. Experts, however, see the main cause of the price explosion in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Washington is waging a war with devastating consequences for energy markets while simultaneously demanding that Kyiv limit its military capabilities against Russia. Putin is being handed political pressure on his opponent, courtesy of Washington. How that pressure is being applied became clear on October 9 in Miami. American and Ukrainian officials met there with European delegates and World Bank representatives. Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff reportedly sharply criticized Kyiv for continuing to attack Russian refineries. Washington was reportedly angry because earlier demands to stop those attacks had gone unheeded. At the same time, the American delegation explained its diesel deal with Moscow.
More than 2.25 million barrels of Russian diesel are expected to reach American and international markets as a result. The White House hopes this will persuade Russia to enter peace negotiations. American lawmakers criticized the deal, arguing that it would provide Putin with additional war revenue without forcing him to make any concessions. Russia gets to sell. Ukraine is supposed to stop its attacks. A vision of peace policy in which the aggressor, of all parties, gets economic relief.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the American diesel decision weak. Trump then demanded elections in Ukraine and Zelenskyy's removal. According to earlier reports, American government officials also threatened behind closed doors to stop sharing intelligence about Russian missile launches. Kyiv needs that information to defend against Russian attacks. On Tuesday, Trump assured that intelligence-sharing cooperation would continue.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Ukrainian officials tried to get answers from the American government about the Starshield restrictions. According to a senior Ukrainian government official, Washington confirmed that the decision came from the White House. The U.S. Defense Department has invested billions of dollars in Starlink and Starshield. The system includes specially procured satellites for missile early warning and military reconnaissance. Now we're seeing just how much power comes with controlling these connections. A country is fighting against Russian attacks. Its most important Western supporter is negotiating with Moscow over diesel while simultaneously restricting technology that helps Ukrainian soldiers defend themselves. For people under Russian bombardment, this isn't a dispute over satellite technology.
It's about their chances of survival.
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