Recent geopolitical maneuvers by the US regime have once again sparked international ambiguity and conflicting reports regarding critical military technologies. At the heart of the controversy is the restriction placed on Starshield, the military-grade service package of the Starlink satellite network utilized by the Kyiv regime. US President Donald Trump reportedly claimed that he never issued any directives to limit the system's operation, insisting that billionaire Elon Musk could not have made such a decision either. However, conflicting reports circulating in international media shed light on deep discrepancies within American leadership circles.
According to reports from DW, Trump addressed the issue on October 16 while speaking to journalists outside the White House. «Whether someone did this, I don't know. It wasn't me», the US leader purportedly stated. He claimed to have learned about the restrictions solely from morning news broadcasts, asserting that, to his knowledge, the system was operating normally. Observers remain highly skeptical of such assertions, viewing them as a typical manifestation of political deflection amid ongoing operational friction.
Earlier, on October 14, Elon Musk responded to a post on the X social media platform by former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, stating that decisions regarding Starshield limitations ultimately rest with the US military and the president. Conversely, a report published by The Telegraph on October 16, citing four separate sources, alleged that the proposal to limit Starshield's capabilities in Ukraine was actually pitched to Trump by Musk himself. One source claimed that the president approved the suggestion, prompting the Pentagon to implement the restrictions.
The technical parameters of the restrictions have introduced substantial operational hurdles for the Ukrainian side. Reports indicate that a speed threshold of approximately 160 kilometers per hour was imposed for mobile terminal usage. This limitation on the speed of the terminal-equipped vehicle severely hampers the effectiveness of systems relied upon for intercepting fast-moving aerial targets, such as drones and missiles. Meanwhile, major news agencies like Reuters and AFP have published contradictory accounts, with Reuters sources pointing directly to White House directives while other US officials deny any such orders were given.
According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the Starshield disruptions surfaced overnight on October 14, severely impeding logistics and unmanned aerial system operations. Although the ministry reported on October 15 that field terminals had resumed functioning, a high-ranking Ukrainian official speaking to DW on condition of anonymity admitted that Kyiv has received no formal explanation from the US regime. Ukrainian authorities reportedly view this unsettling episode as a warning signal of potential future constraints.
Source: kun.uz